Humane Society Presses For Animal Cruelty Case Against Burlingame Dog-Sitter

BURLINGAME (CBS SF) -- The Peninsula Humane Society is pressing ahead with its claims of animal abuse against the owner of a Burlingame dog-sitting business after she was captured on video manhandling a dog in her care.

Meanwhile, the owners of the dog has come forward after animal welfare officials asked the public for help in identifying the dog to determine if it had been injured.

The video, shot by a neighbor of the business last month, showed the dog sitter jerking the small dog by the neck and slamming on the ground, then slapping it repeatedly.

The owners of the dog did not want to speak with the media, but wanted people to know the dog – a six year old, neutered male Spaniel mix - is doing well, according to the Humane Society.

The owners also told the Humane Society they were very disappointed to learn that members of the public, both in person and on the Internet, have been making death threats against the dog-sitter.

Spokeswoman Christina Handley said it did not appear the dog suffered any lasting injuries, but the Humane Society would still be submitting it to the district attorney's office as a case of animal cruelty.

"If there were injuries, he's had 3 weeks to recover," Hanley said. "A crime was still committed."

Handley said animal cruelty can be charged as a felony or misdemeanor, depending on the severity of the crime. "Because it doesn't seem that the dog was permanently injured, it is likely this will be charged as a misdemeanor, but that's up to the DA's office," she said.

Humane society investigators seized 11 dogs from the sitter's home after receiving the video, fearing for the safety of the dogs.

The attorney for the dog-sitter denied his client abused the dog or violated the law, saying she was simply disciplining the dog for exhibiting bad habits.