PAWNEE COUNTY — A Kansas man accused in the August 2019 shooting a pit bull puppy that had to be euthanized entered a guilty plea to one charge in the case Tuesday, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.
Tiffany Willinger, 51, plead no contest to cruelty to animals done without malicious intent; shot the pit bull puppy multiple times.
With the plea, the state agreed to drop the second charge that included Interference with Law Enforcement and providing false information to a Pawnee County Sheriff’s Deputy.
The defense attorney advised the court that Willinger had planned to put the puppy down because it was vicious. Willinger expressed remorse as to the way he attempted to euthanize the puppy and for abandoning the wounded animal once his attempt to kill it failed, according McNett.
Pawnee County Judge Julie Cowell accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Willinger to a 12-month underlying jail sentenced suspended to 30 days in the Pawnee County Jail, according to McNett.
In August 2019, The approximately 7 or 8-month-old male pit bull puppy was found on O Road between 110th and 120th Roads just north of Larned, according to Sheriff Scott King. Someone shot the dog eight times with a .22 caliber rifle
With the assistance of social media, the sheriff’s office posted photos on Facebook and followed leads to make an arrest.