PETITON TARGET: Cook County State Attorney Kimberly M. Foxx
UPDATE (10/31/2022): Zeus the dog has been euthanized, with news reports saying he had cancer. Nonprofit Safe Humane Chicago is paying for a necropsy, which — if it reveals abuse contributed to the dog’s death — could lead to a felony animal cruelty charge. Jose Orlando Cartagena’s next hearing is Nov. 30. We’ll keep watching this case. — Lady Freethinker Staff
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A dog named Zeus was seriously injured and barely escaped death after being grabbed by the neck, thrown out of a mini-van, and repeatedly punched by a man who later tried to have him killed the same day in Chicago, according to news reports.
Released surveillance video of the cruel beating showed the man abruptly halt his van, grab the puppy out of the rear hatch, then repeatedly punch and hurl the innocent animal across the street. A caring driver who spotted the van later that day photographed the license plate and posted the shot to social media. That allowed law enforcement to track the vehicle to a veterinary clinic, where the man reportedly was trying to have Zeus euthanized.
Zeus had significant injuries at that time, CWBChicago reported.
Authorities have charged Jose Orlando Cartagena, 28, with one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty.
Zeus never should have had to endure such horrific and repeated abuse. The individual(s) responsible for this heinous act of intentional violence must be held fully accountable.
Sign our petition urging prosecutors to treat this case of vicious animal cruelty with the severity it deserves, including a lifelong ban on owning or possessing animals, ensuring the animal cruelty charge remains on the record, and authorities should facilitate psychological therapy and anger management counseling to help prevent future incidents of animal abuse.
