Tobi was a family cat. He belonged to a 15-year-old boy in Colorado, and in June he was killed.
According to reports, security camera footage shows a neighbor, Ashley Losey, picking Tobi up and tossing him out her back door, where her two dogs attacked him. On October 7, she pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony that carries two to six years in prison under Colorado law.
Here is what troubles me. Advocates report that the proposed plea agreement includes only three years of probation, 75 hours of public service, a $500 fine, and a 30-day jail term that would be suspended. Five other charges, including two counts of child abuse, would be dismissed. The animal ownership ban would reportedly last only as long as the sentence.
I am Eric, and I run I Love Every Dog. I believe a felony conviction for killing a child's cat should mean more than that.
The good news is that the decision is not final. The plea agreement does not bind Judge Laura N. Findorff of the El Paso County District Court and can reject it at sentencing on November 18.
I am asking Judge Findorff to reject the plea agreement as written and impose a sentence that reflects the seriousness of this felony, including a meaningful period of incarceration, mandatory mental health counseling, and a lifetime ban on owning or living with animals.
I am also asking District Attorney Michael J. Allen to support a sentence that matches the felony she admitted to.
Tobi cannot speak for himself. Please sign and share before November 18 so the court sees that people are watching.
