Iowa Woman Receives Probation After Hanging Boyfriend's Dog

Animal rights advocates are worried that giving a central Iowa woman probation for hanging a dog until it suffocated and died isn't a strong enough punishment to deter animal abuse.

Sheena Cornwell on July 3 received a suspended sentence of two years in prison and two years of probation, reports KCCI.com, for hanging her boyfriend's dog in their garage. She will also be required to undergo psychological evaluation and treatment.

Cornwell pleaded guilty to the charge of animal torture after killing the 10-year-old pit bull mix dog on April 6, the TV station said.

Her now-ex-boyfriend Joshua VanDyke said before he realized what was happening, he heard his dog, Lilly, banging against the garage door. He told authorities Cornwell watched the dog die and then calmly told him that Lilly was taken care of.

Police said at this point, VanDyke went out and found Lilly hanging in the garage from the rafters by her collar with the leash strung up on the rafters.

Cornwell's attorney said in court that she has serious mental health issues, but is not a dangerous person, according to the KCCI story.

Since the case came to light, animal advocates have used it as a way to illustrate their plea for legislative changes, including making animal abuse a felony for the first case.