A Westmoreland County Man Sentenced to State Prison for Abusing, Paralyzing Dog
A disturbing case of animal abuse has reached a conclusion in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, with a judge handing down a state prison sentence to a man who brutally tortured his girlfriend’s small Shih Tzu, leaving the dog paralyzed. Thirty-one-year-old Zachary Hixson was sentenced to 20 to 60 months—that’s just under two to five years—in state prison for the horrific abuse of 10-year-old Snickers.
The severity of the sentence reflects the shocking nature of the crime, which included Hixson pleading guilty to two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, as well as neglect and general animal cruelty. According to prosecutors, Hixson punched, kicked, and choked Snickers while living at the South Huntingdon home of the dog’s owner. The violence caused a broken spine and paralysis, leaving the small dog unable to walk. In a particularly cruel detail, police also accused him of using a lit cigarette to burn the dog’s eye.
The evidence presented in Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court was damning. Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Ranger played graphic videos of the assaults, which Hixson had recorded himself on a cellphone given to him by the dog’s owner. Authorities were able to identify Hixson in the video using a distinct tattoo on his left forearm. As if the physical abuse wasn’t enough, court documents revealed that Hixson sent text messages that showed him laughing about the dog’s irreversible injuries. In one text, he wrote, “The dog can’t walk lol,” followed by, “It’s paralyzed lol.”
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Scott Mears did not mince words, noting that Hixson recording the abuse suggested he was “proud of” his actions rather than ashamed. The judge ordered a psychological evaluation for Hixson and, significantly, banned him from owning or having any contact with animals for the next 14 years.
This case is a prime example of the impact of Pennsylvania’s stricter animal protection laws, often known as Libre’s Law. Signed into law in 2017, the Comprehensive Animal Cruelty Act 10 elevated the penalty for acts like torture and severe injury to a third-degree felony, which carries a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison. This legal change gives judges the ability to impose much harsher sentences than in the past, reflecting society’s zero-tolerance stance on animal abuse.
As for Snickers, the 10-year-old Shih Tzu continues to struggle with the catastrophic injuries inflicted by Hixson. While the ordeal is far from over for the dog and its owner, Snickers has shown incredible resilience, with the prosecutor stating in court that the dog is now believed to be using a wheelchair to get around. This case serves as a somber reminder of the importance of these laws and the ongoing need for vigilance against animal cruelty in the community.