Judge Uses Sentencing To Give Animal Abusers Taste Of Their Own Medicine

Oct 12, 2020

The former judge of the courtroom of Painesville Municipal Court Michael (Mike) Cicconetti was known for his unusual sentences, including giving animal abusers a taste of their own mistreatment.

Those who love animals find it hard to imagine why anyone would ever inflict pain on our furry friends. A now-retired judge named Michael (Mike) Cicconetti from Ohio is the proud owner of a beautiful Bernese mountain dog and an overall animal enthusiast.

In his career, he was committed to helping end animal abuse and neglect in his community and set about to combat the problem in an unexpected way. He used his sentencing power as a judge to choose sentences that he hoped would help the abusers understand why their behavior was so harmful. His ultimate goal was to get these people to stop treating their pets in such heartless ways.

For example, one local woman got in trouble with the law for allowing her dog to live in a filthy environment. She ended up in Judge Mike's courtroom. So when it came time for him to hand down her sentence, he decided to allow her to have a brief glimpse into what the poor pooch's life had been like under her abuse and neglect. He sentenced the woman to have to spend eight straight hours sitting in a stench-filled dump, according to I Heart Dogs.

Even if the stench made her feel sick to her stomach, the judge told her she wouldn't be allowed to leave. Though the woman obviously wasn't thrilled with the outcome of the case, Michael hoped that it would make her think twice about ever putting an innocent creature through such a nightmare ever again.

Another example of the judge's outside-the-box sentencing was highlighted in the case of a local woman who was found guilty of dumping kittens off in the woods to fend for themselves. As her punishment Judge Mike decided it would be appropriate for her to be left in the forest all by herself throughout the night, as I Heart Dogs reports.

The judge's goal in these sentences wasn't to treat anyone in a cruel or unusual way.

He wasn't seeking to inflict any kind of harm on these people. He just wanted them, through a very short, limited experience to see how their actions were impacting defenseless creatures. His heart for animals has gained Judge Mike notoriety and respect throughout his local region and across the globe.

According to Fox 8, Mike retired in 2019.

If you think this judge was onto something and other judges should follow his example, pass this story on to your friends and family! Feel free to tell us your thoughts and reactions to this amazing story in the comments.