Highlands Man Pleads Guilty to Strangling His Dog
The borough man is barred from owning any kind of animal for five years.
A Highlands man who thought he could discipline his growling dog by hanging it from a leash thrown over a closet door had pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in Atlantic Highlands Municipal Court.
Philip N. Hollenbeak, 57, of Sea Drift Avenue in Highlands pleaded guilty to the third degree charge before Municipal Court Judge Peter A. Locascio. His punishment is a $1,000 fine, and he is barred from any kind of animal ownership for five years.
According to Monmouth County SPCA Chief Buddy Amato, Hollenbeak was sleeping with his three-year old 130 lb. Chesapeake Bay Retriever when it started growling in the middle of the night.
"He thought cutting off the oxygen supply for a dog was an acceptable way to discipline it, so he took the leash and hung the dog over a closet door," said Amato. The dog was wearing a choke collar. "He was going to show the dog who was boss."
The dog died. Hollenbeak went back to bed.
At 9 o'clock in the morning, Hollenbeak called Highlands Police to ask them to send someone over to pick up the deceased dog. The police alerted the MCSPCA Chief.
Chief Amato said he did not seek jail time in the case, because Hollenbeak had no prior criminal record.
Chief Amato has been prosecuting animal cruelty cases for 10 years, and says the public is paying attention. "People are starting to become more aware of the fact that animal cruely has a correlation to other crimes," he said.
Lou Mangi
7:38 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
He should have got jail time at the very least, The punishment should fit
the crime.
NJarhead
8:17 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
This is digusting and this "man" a waste-of-skin.
I'm glad we don't have a photo on this one. I'd like to "discipline" him.
barbara dalessio
8:17 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
They should do the same to him.
Natasha
8:17 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
This piece of trash is only barred from owning an animal for for five years???? He should never have an animal again and he should have seen jail time. The MCSPCA seems to be getting soft. This makes me sick. Too bad its not an eye for an eye, he'd deserve it.
NJarhead
9:02 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
I didn't see where it said that.
Also:
"People are starting to become more aware of the fact that animal cruely has a correlation to other crimes," Chief Amato said.
Precisely!
Nina Carey Buzzerio
9:02 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
~`Selfishness~ is a wonderful way to go through life!!~ give the owner a wake up call!! Please Buddy!!~ The poor baby!!`~ Didnt have a chance!!` ~ : (
MiddletownResident
9:02 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
disgusting..he should be banned for LIFE and got jail time...advice he beleived that oxygen deprivation was a way to discipline the dog?? GET Real..he wanted it to die..he went back to bed after seeing the dog died..that is NOT a loving owner..who the hell are we kidding here?? and only $1,000 fine??? laws need to change...it's NO different than a human getting murdered in my eyes...this type of behavior against animals usually almost always result int he person committing murder of a human...just look at the Bed Bath and Beyond incident
marylou
10:30 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Gee,I thought that the BB&B incident was a result of allowing low income housing in Middletown.
christine
10:21 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
I cannot believe this "man" did not go to jail!! Did this genius stop and think that the dog might have been growling becuse he heard something outside or in his home?? He should be in jail and NEVER be allowed to have a goldfish in his care ever again! They say you can tell alot about people by how they treat animals..This guy is apparently the lowest of the low.
Paula Iskenderian Guglielmo
10:21 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
This guy obviously has issues and there's no punishment! Ridiculous!
Kenneth Lusnia
11:13 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Give me a lease, a choke collar and five minutes with this waste of a human. I'll show him "who's boss"
Mike Rath
3:58 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
"No prior criminal record" ?? That's because he didn't get caught. You don't start @ 57 with this type of behavior..Blown call Buddy....
Laura
8:32 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
That's accountability? Five years w/o a pet... well your doing the pets a favor. He jbew very well what he was doing. He hung his dog, till it was dead. It took alot of time and effort to hang 130lb dog, at any time he could have stopped.... how much rage did this man have that you hang the one thing that gives you unconditional love? I hope the image of what he did haunts his dreams till he no longer wants to sleep, and his deed remembered by all those who know him. A murderer....
diana
8:33 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
I cant believe he didnt get jail time and a complete psych evaluation on his dime. This was a mistake on behalf of ahpd not seeking further punishment.
Fact Check
11:45 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Very weak move by this judge
what's this world coming to
7:41 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Sick people. Sick world
Pam
1:47 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
He was so concerned that he just killed his dog that he went back to sleep. Depraved. He should have been given jail time.
Emily
11:29 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
So WHAT does he do to the women and children in his life?