A 28-year-old man who pleaded guilty to kicking his girlfriend's dog to death was sentenced Thursday to four days in jail and four years of probation.
Jarek Keith Moen, of Kasson, allegedly kicked the 85-pound dog, a yellow Lab and shepherd mix, causing internal injuries and bleeding that led to the dog's death on Feb. 2, 2012.
Olmsted County District Judge Joseph Chase also ordered Moen to complete 120 hours of community work service, and prohibited him from owning or caring for animals unless given permission.
Moen pleaded guilty in November to overwork/mistreat animals-cruelty, a felony. In exchange for the plea, a felony count of overwork/mistreat animals-torture was dismissed.
Moen allegedly said he kicked the dog because it defecated on the floor of his girlfriend's house. He added that he kicked the dog a second time while trying to bring him back inside after cleaning up the mess, according to the search warrant application.
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A necropsy at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory showed that the dog sustained rib fractures, lacerations to the liver and lungs and internal bleeding.
On Feb. 3, Moen was treated at a Mayo Clinic Express Care Clinic, where medical records indicate it was claimed Moen was the victim of an unprovoked dog attack.
Photos of injuries on Moen's legs, along with a model of the dog's jaws, were reviewed by a person with a diploma from the American Board of Forensic Odontology. That person said it was possible the dog's teeth made the 12 intermittent, scabbed-over injuries below Moen's knees, according to the complaint.
A police search of phones connected to Moen and his girlfriend allegedly showed the Moen sent several texts to her on Feb. 6.
In one text, Moen allegedly said that "he bit me out of defense."
According to the complaint, Moen said in another text that "he snapped at me and I kicked him a few times cause he continued to try to bite me and actually succeeded about four times, I have marks on my legs."
At the time of the incident Moen was living with his girlfriend in Rochester.
