You may remember this horrific story of extreme animal cruelty out of Calgary.
Now the abuser, Nicolino Camardi, has been sentenced to serve 22 months in jail for animal cruelty for starving, torturing and ultimately killing pets he obtained over the internet.
He will be given credit for the 16 months of jail he’s already served and was handed a lifetime prohibition from owning animals on charges of causing unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to an animal.
Calgary Humane Society Peace Officers were able to piece together a case against Camardi after the bodies of the animals were found in an alley behind his home.
Brad Nichols, Manager, Animal Cruelty Investigations said after the sentencing:
“This is a horrific and violent crime that got the attention of the city (and beyond) in a way that animal cruelty has not before. This was the case that citizens put their foot down and said, we are not going to tolerate animal abuse. Today’s sentence reflects the serious nature of the offences, both by incarcerating Mr. Camardia for, until very recently, an unprecedented duration as well as prohibiting him from owning or caring for animals for life. This was the most complex animal cruelty case that we have ever investigated. We exhausted all available investigative strategies, including extensive DNA forensics, in putting this case together.
Camardi, 19, admitted to dumping the emaciated and battered bodies of a Siberian husky and a kitten in the alley. Their muzzles had been taped shut in attempt to stifle their cries in pain, an Alberta court heard.
An agreed statement of facts read to the court concluded that Camardi beat and starved the dog, named Shadow, in part because he was addicted to crack cocaine and had no money for dog food. The dog was dumped after it died because Camardi worried it would “start stinking up the house,” according to the Herald.
And, Camardi strangled the cat, named One Tooth, with a string, the court was told.
“During the time the animals lived with the accused, the accused often got angry at both of the animals for such issues as house soiling or making noise,” said Haight, reading from a statement of agreed facts, according to the Calgary Sun.
A local veterinarian performed necropsies to determine the causes of death, officials said. The husky had been chronically malnourished. The cat, also severely underweight, suffered multiple traumatic injuries to its head, tail and hind limbs.
Both animals were obtained through the online classified site, Kijiji, shortly before they were killed.
Because of the “abject horror” of his crimes, the prosecutor had wanted a psychiatric assessment on Camardi, the Sun reported.
Photo: Calgary Humane Society
