I am writing in regard to the article in the Lewiston Sun Journal June 30 about the man from Canaan who allegedly beat the 12-year-old dog, resulting in the dog losing its sight.

According to the article, the man was already on probation at the time of the dog beating and reportedly he bragged about beating this poor animal.

There is no excuse for the abuse of an animal in any way. Anyone who abuses an animal needs to be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. Furthermore, our laws against cruelty to animals need to be much stricter and the penalties for animal cruelty need to be much more severe. If someone beats an animal with a weapon of any kind, the charge needs to be as severe as an aggravated assault on a human.

If a person is on probation and commits an act of cruelty to animals that is as severe as the beating of that dog was, I would hope that their probation would be revoked and that they would be charged with committing a new crime – the crime of cruelty to animals.

Angelo Giberti, Lewiston

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