LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A man who tortured a dog on the Las Vegas Strip will remain behind bars after being sentenced Thursday.
Miguel Rivera, 32, pled guilty to beating and hanging his own dog in front of the Encore hotel in July.
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The judge called this an extreme case of animal abuse and determined Rivera still posed a threat to the community based on his actions. He sentenced Rivera to 18-48 months in prison for animal abuse.
Police say he punched and choked his small dog outside Encore Las Vegas, and at one point hung his dog at the resort’s gate. A stranger then intervened before Rivera was arrested. He told the judge he struggled with bipolar disorder and took responsibility for his actions.
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“I was hearing voices. I was seeing things. I was running on figments of my imagination. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I couldn’t differentiate reality from fantasy and worst of all, turn my best friend into my worst enemy,” Rivera said.
Prosecutors say the dog is alive and has now been adopted by someone else.
