Despite claiming he “loves animals” and “would never try to hurt them,” a Racine man convicted of brutally and repeatedly beating his 10-month-old dog in June 2018 was sentenced in Racine County Circuit Court Tuesday to jail and probation for felony animal mistreatment.
Terrence L. Howard, now 44, a registered sex offender, was sentenced by Racine County Circuit Court Judge Wynne Laufenberg to 10 months in jail with Huber Law privileges and three years of probation; under Huber Law he is freed during the day, in his case to care for a 1-year-old son.
Howard pleaded no contest in October to felony animal mistreatment in a case involving the reported multiple beatings, from at least June 3-7, 2018, of a young dog named Rocky.
One neighbor told The Journal Times at the time that he saw Howard “throw the dog against the side of the house” and “beat the dog for several minutes.” Howard reportedly went inside his house and came back out to start beating the dog again.
Witnesses said they heard the dog “screaming in pain” as Howard beat the dog with a pipe and “pounding” it with his fists. A neighbor said, “He was getting drunk all the time and beating that dog; I’m surprised it’s still alive.”
Assistant Racine County District Attorney Micha Schwab said Howard used a pole, pipe and his fists to beat the dog and that the beatings had been occurring for a few weeks.
Howard also admitted the violence to police, according to the criminal complaint. He reportedly told the investigator that he struck the dog on 10 different occasions because the dog would “tear up the trash.” He also admitted that the lacerations to the dog’s head were caused by him hitting the pup with his belt. He also reportedly choked the dog.
