Noting that the defendant’s actions were “disturbing, violent, and vicious,” Judge Mark O’Connor sentenced 21-year-old Bret Michael Collins to 22 months in prison for injuring two house cats, one so severely it had to be euthanized by a veterinarian.
The animals were left in the care of Collins while the owner went out of town. When the owner returned, she noticed the cats were not acting normally and took the animals to a vet for care.
The owner told the veterinarian the cats “had been in a fight.” The injuries told a different story. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Chase explains, “these cats had multiple fractures, bruising and internal injuries.” This, according to the veterinarian and humane agent, was consistent with blunt force trauma from the cats being swung by their tails and smashed into a hard object. “What was done to these animals was cruel, vicious and horrific.”
When interviewed by Marysville Police, Collins said he had been bitten by one of the cats but denied touching or harming them. Collins did not explain the cats’ injuries to police.
The second cat, Chance, underwent medical care at the Marysville Animal Care Center. The cat was released into the care of the Union County Humane Society.
When the veterinarian examined Charlie, she determined that he was suffering from facial contusions and bruising, missing and broken teeth, hemorrhaging in both eyes indicating blunt force trauma, a transverse left front fractured humerus, large areas of bruising on both of his hips, a fractured spine, a wound to his tail, bruising on his right front leg, and broken and shredded claws on his right front and left front paw. Chance also suffered numerous injuries, including facial swelling and bruising, oral lesions, missing and broken teeth, bruising on his right temple and right ear, a puncture wound on his left thigh, rib fractures, a collapsed lung, and broken and shredded claws on his right and left front paws and his left rear paw.
Charlie’s injuries were so severe that he had to be humanely euthanized. Chance’s injuries were serious, but he was able to recover from them in the care and custody of the Union County Humane Society.
Collins’ girlfriend told prosecutors she had witnessed Collins grab Charlie by his tail and “fling him” across the room, striking the wall. The girl said the cat laid on the floor and didn’t move after being abused.
At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors presented testimony from Union County Humane Agent Jim Alloway and Dr. Cassie Wooden, the veterinarian who examined both cats, about the severe injuries the cats suffered and the psychological effect of the attack on Chance and photographs of the cats’ injuries.
After hearing the testimony and seeing the evidence, the Court sentenced the Defendant to 10 months in prison on Count 1, and to 12 months in prison on Count 2, to run consecutively, for a total prison sentence of 22 months. The Court found the presentence investigation writer recommended a prison sentence for the Defendant and stated, “the offenses committed by the Defendant are disturbing, involving the most violent, vicious, and extensive multiple serious injuries inflicted on 2 household cats.”
In explaining the reasoning for consecutive sentences, the Court found the harm caused by the Defendant was so great or unusual that no single prison term would adequately reflect the seriousness of the Defendant’s conduct.
Collins said he was sorry for what he did and asked for one more chance. The judge found that his remorse was not genuine.