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OC Man Gets Five Months for Killing Dog

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OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man has been sentenced to more than five months in jail for killing his dog.

Police said the man had claimed he was Jesus Christ and had sent the canine to heaven. The Daily Times reported Tuesday that Joseph Cryer pleaded guilty in late December to aggravated animal cruelty.

The Ocean City man had already served 104 days in jail before he received his sentence.

According to police, Cryer said he hit the dog on the head with a hammer until it died and went to heaven. He said the dog was happy being with his brother who was also in heaven.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.