Animal Legal Defense Fund Grant Helps Puppy Recover from Severe Leg Injury

On March 18, 2025, a Wisconsin man plead guilty to multiple felony charges involving domestic violence and animal cruelty after an incident where he picked up Killer, his girlfriend’s 21-week-old puppy at the time, by the harness and slammed him to the ground, shattering his femur in three places. The man had become frustrated when Killer nipped him. After the assault he threatened Killer’s guardian multiple times in an effort to prevent her from reporting the crime.  

While Killer’s guardian was committed to the puppy’s care and recovery, she couldn’t afford to pay for an orthopedic surgical procedure that would ensure he could keep a full-functioning leg after the injury. Multiple veterinarians were consulted about Killer’s injury and were made aware of the financial constraints involved. They were willing to amputate the leg at a low cost, but the Animal Legal Defense Fund stepped in on short notice to provide a grant that would fund the surgery to save his leg and offer him a better long-term quality of life. The surgery to help Killer regain full mobility in his leg was successful, and he is thriving in the care of his guardian who is committed to supporting his full recovery. 

The judge sentenced the guardian who plead guilty to two years in custody in the Wisconsin prison system followed by three years of extended supervision with various conditions, which include a possession ban for five years – the entirety of his sentence.