This man tied up a dog and suspended it in mid-air. Now he’s going to jail
A Fresno man was sentenced in Fresno County Superior Court to 180 days in jail, three years of probation and counseling for tying up a dog and suspending it in the air in May 2016.
The Central California Society for the Preventing of Cruelty to Animals in May 2016 received a report from a man who said his partner, Mark Grahmann, 28, was torturing his dog, Graham. The man found video evidence of the dog bound, suspended in the air and being tortured on numerous occasions, the CCSPCA said. In the video, you can see leashes wrapped around the dog’s legs and the handles hung on doorknobs.
Grahmann’s partner also noticed old injuries on the dog, a corgi-terrier mix, said Walter Salvari, a CCSPCA spokesman.
Salvari said he’s never seen this kind of abuse before.
“The typical case is someone is hitting or beating an animal or not feeding it,” he said. “We don’t know this was sexual in nature. We never know what the mental state is of people who mistreat animals. Obviously, that was reflected in his (Grahmann’s) punishment. The judge ordered him to get help.”
A veterinarian examined Graham and found no evidence of penetration, Salvari said.
Grahmann also must undergo mandatory counseling by a professional experienced in the treatment of sadistic behavior and sexual crimes, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said. He also was ordered not to own any animals for 10 years.
Grahmann was initially charged in March 2017 with two felony counts of animal cruelty and one misdemeanor of illegal animal confinement. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced for one felony count.
As for Graham the dog, he is being cared for by the person who reported the abuse.
To report animal cruelty, call 559-233-7722 or visit Central California SPCA. To make a donation to CCSPCA, mail it to 103 S. Hughes Ave. in Fresno or donate via PayPal online at https://ccspca.com.
Brianna Calix: 559-441-6166, @BriannaCalix
This story was originally published January 10, 2018 at 4:20 PM with the headline "This man tied up a dog and suspended it in mid-air. Now he’s going to jail."