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Burlingame Dog Sitter Pleads Not Guilty To Animal Cruelty Over Incident Caught On Camera

BURLINGAME (CBS SF) – A 65-year-old Burlingame dog sitter pleaded not guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

Linda Levac was allegedly seen and recorded on video by a neighbor in the backyard of her Burlingame home grabbing a dog by its collar, lifting it in the air and slamming it to the ground multiple times, prosecutors said.

When Levac lifted the dog, named Frisco, it was apparently choking and when she slammed it to the ground it yelped in pain, according to prosecutors.

Peninsula Humane Society & Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals investigators went to Levac's home on Aug. 5 and seized 10 dogs and also determined Levac was running an unlicensed dog boarding business, prosecutors said.

PHS/SPCA officials released the video of Levac and Frisco to the media last week and the next day got a call from the owner of Frisco, a 12.5-pound male Chihuahua mix, according to prosecutors.

Frisco's owner said she paid Levac to watch the dog for about a week when the alleged abuse occurred. PHS/SPCA staff examined Frisco Sunday and found it unhurt, according to prosecutors.

Levac did not appear in court Thursday and defense attorney Robert Courshon made the not guilty plea on her behalf, which is allowed in misdemeanor cases, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

Staff with the district attorney's office said they filed the case Wednesday and a $10,000 warrant for Levac's arrest was issued. Levac surrendered to authorities Wednesday afternoon and they released her on a $10,000 bond.

A call to Courshon was not immediately returned Thursday.

© Copyright 2015 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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