Reno man convicted of animal cruelty in beating of dog

RENO, Nev. (AP) — A 29-year-old Reno man faces up to six months in jail after he was convicted of animal cruelty for beating and throwing his dog onto a downtown sidewalk before a passerby intervened.

Washoe County prosecutors originally charged Dennis Glenn with one felony count of willfully or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating or killing a dog or cat.

A jury ultimately convicted him of a lesser count of misdemeanor animal cruelty. Judge Barry Breslow is scheduled to sentence him on March 30.

Police say they were called to First Street in downtown Reno near the Truckee River about a fight in progress last April and determined it had started after a man saw Glenn beating his 2-year-old pitbull, Abando.

Police say surveillance footage showed Glenn punch the dog multiple times before picking up the animal, throwing it across the street onto the concrete sidewalk and again punching it multiple times.

Police say the dog didn’t show any aggression, was observed cowering and trying to run away.

A justice of the peace earlier found Glenn unfit to own the dog and county regional animal services placed the dog in a new home.