LANSING, Mich. — A man who admitted to beating a dog so badly that it required hours of surgery probably won't do a day in prison for it.
That's despite the fact Michigan increased the penalties for killing or torturing animals last year.
Animal control officers tell Fox 47 Abdulrazzaq Mustafa is only going to get probation for nearly beating a dog named Champ to death.
"He had confessed that he had picked the dog up and then slammed it on the ground multiple times which then cause several compound fractures to the right-rear femur of the dog," Kyle Hanney, Lead Animal Control Officer said.
Mustafa is scheduled to be sentenced next week.
That beating, which Abdulrazzaq Mustafa admitted to in court, will leave Champ with life-long injuries.
"We knew as soon as he got to our organization he was in really bad shape and he was transferred almost immediately to a surgeon to perform about a four-hour orthopedic surgery to put him back together," Julia Willson, president and CEO of capitol area humane society.
The Capital Area Humane Society says Champ's bone was so badly broken it needed steel rods screwed into it from the outside, as well as a permanent rod inside his leg.
Animal control investigators got involved when Mustafa's girlfriend brought the dog to the humane society in October.
"He was actually brought in by a family member at the time and additional we were told that a few weeks prior he had also been beaten unconscious," Willson said.
His girlfriend told investigators Mustafa routinely beat Champ.
"Once the case was turned over to us I was able to go in and identify and interview the suspect at his residence. I was able to get a confession the same day," Willson said.
Mustafa pleaded guilty last month to second-degree killing or torturing an animal and will be sentenced on February 12th.
officers say the deal he cut with prosecutors calls for no jail time if he stays out of trouble.
Right now, Champ is recovering with a foster family. Once he is ready, he will be looking for his forever home. We will let you know when he becomes available.
Mustafa was charged with domestic violence shortly after the dog was taken to the humane society. The Ingham County prosecutor's office dropped those charges. We're working to find out why.
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