In the world we live in, animal abuse is something that happens far too often. Fortunately, there are still people who care deeply about our furry friends and are willing to go to great lengths to protect them. One such person is Judge Michael Cicconetti. This Ohio judge has made it his personal mission to make sure that animal abusers are punished appropriately for their crimes.
Judge Cicconetti has always been an animal lover, having had a dog named Herman when he was younger, and now Kasey, his current dog. When he sees animals being neglected or abused, he takes it personally. It’s no wonder, then, that he has made it his mission to do what he can to make sure that animal abusers are punished for their crimes.
The judge’s punishments may seem unusual, but they are certainly fitting. He gives perpetrators a taste of their own medicine by making them feel almost exactly what the animals they abused or neglected felt when they were being mistreated. These punishments may be uncomfortable or embarrassing, but they are not dangerous.
One woman who found herself in front of Judge Cicconetti was Alyssa Morrow. Her dog, Moose, was found living in complete filth and was severely emaciated. So, the judge ruled that she had to spend a day in filth at a local dump to know what it felt like to live in such a disgusting situation. Morrow wasn’t thrilled about the punishment, but it beat spending 90 days in jail.
In another case, a woman abandoned 35 kittens late at night in two different parks, where they were later discovered by park rangers. The judge sentenced her to spend a night alone in the cold, snowy outdoors by herself, in addition to jail time and fines.
Judge Cicconetti’s unique form of punishment was born out of his frustration with standard punishments having little effect on repeat offenders. He hopes that his creative, headline-grabbing sentences will raise awareness about ongoing animal abuse and neglect and serve as a warning to anyone who would mistreat an animal.
It’s hard not to admire Judge Cicconetti’s passion for animals and his desire to protect them. His creative punishments for animal abusers are perfectly appropriate, and he is setting an example that other judges would do well to follow.
His approach is not only unique but effective in sending a message that animal abuse will not be tolerated. We can only hope that more judges will take note of his brilliant work and follow suit.
WATCH the video below for more details:
Sources: Taphaps, IHeartDogs, Animal Channel