Atlanta, GEORGIA: Officials filed animal cruelty charges against William Scaffidi after he posted a video of himself lighting fireworks near his dog.
Scaffidi claims that his daughter recorded the video with her cell, and insists that the family dog, a 4-year-old Husky named Betty Boop, was never in danger. His friends and other viewers were outraged as the dog was clearly in harm’s way.
“I feel like it’s not reflective of me at all,” Scaffidi claims. “The hate mail started coming in –threatening to kill me.”
Scaffidi maintains that he wasn’t pulling a prank on his pet and did not put plants on the steps for the purpose of trapping his dog where she couldn’t easily escape the fireworks.
Rather than showing initial remorse for both frightening and putting his dog in danger, he first expressed regret over the fact that he posted the video, which ultimately resulted in the charges, stating: “I admit it was a bad choice of posting it, and that’s my mistake.”
Fulton County Animal Services Field Services Director Tim Poorman said the judge could fine Scaffidi up to $500, make him surrender the dog, and jail him for up to six months.
His court date is July 26.
Source: ajc.com
