Jonathan Paluzzi, a man from Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to giving his dog fentanyl and then stabbing the animal to death. The incident occurred in January, leading to the discovery of Paluzzi’s 60-pound bull-terrier mix named Brutus with stab wounds in his Kingston apartment. Paluzzi received a sentence of five to seven years in state prison after entering a guilty plea on charges of animal cruelty and witness intimidation. He initially tried to have Brutus euthanized at a veterinarian but was refused as the dog was healthy. Paluzzi then attempted to poison Brutus with fentanyl, followed by fatally stabbing him with grill prongs when the poison did not work.
Paluzzi’s parents, who said their son was struggling with drug addiction at the time of the incident, revealed that he valued his dog greatly and viewed him as a companion. Despite his efforts to give the dog up when entering rehab, Paluzzi ultimately resorted to killing him while under the influence of fentanyl. Prosecutors highlighted that the maximum penalty for animal cruelty in Massachusetts is seven years in prison, which Paluzzi received. His parents expressed a desire for him to receive the necessary help for his drug addiction, hoping for his rehabilitation.
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