A 22-year-old man who was convicted of setting a puppy on fire last fall in Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to three years in prison on Thursday. The puppy survived the attack and was adopted by the staff of the animal hospital that provided emergency treatment.
In addition to his prison sentence, Ra’Shae Johnson must pay restitution, and cannot own or keep any animals for the next 20 years, according to a report by 10 WBNS.
The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of cruelty to companion animals, arson, and open burning on Thursday.
The Columbus Division of Fire had responded to an incident last October at Walnut Hill Park, where firefighters found an area of melted plastic underneath a tree, as well as a puppy running around in the area with plastic melted to her back.
Investigators reportedly determined that the 3-month-old puppy was in a cage when she was set on fire, and Johnson later confessed to setting the crate on fire, authorities said.
While in court on Thursday, Johnson claimed he didn’t know how else to get rid of the dog, according to a report by Local 12.
The puppy was treated for burns at Diley Hill Animal Emergency Center in Winchester, Ohio, a southeast suburb of Columbus, and was later adopted by hospital staff.
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