Man who killed dog gets jail time, pet ban

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PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 6 (UPI) -- A California man who beat his neighbor's dog to death with a hammer was sentenced to one year in jail and was banned from owning pets for 10 years.

Young Song, 42, pleaded no contest to felony animal cruelty and misdemeanor petty theft after prosecutors showed a surveillance video in court Friday of him beating a neighbor's muzzled German shepherd to death with a hammer, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The video shows Song entering his neighbor's yard April 20, 2011, and shooting the 16-month-old dog -- which was muzzled but untied -- with a pellet gun. Song is seen leaving the yard, returning a short time later, and chasing the dog before beating it until it is lifeless.

He is seen leaving the yard with the dog's body.

The dog owner returned home later to find the scene and discovered the dog was missing.

The motive for the attack is unclear.

Pasadena, Calif., Superior Court Judge Darrell Mavis sentenced Song to a year in county jail and three years' formal probation, and ordered him not to possess or care for any animal for 10 years.