On December 5, 2019 Aaron Davis, of Long Branch, NJ was convicted of the crime of Fourth Degree Animal Cruelty.

The jury found that on July 30, 2018, Mr. Davis did purposely, knowingly and recklessly torment, torture and/or abuse, a pit bull type puppy when he knowingly placed the young dog in a metal cage, transported him to Veterans Memorial Park in Highlands, NJ and purposely placed that cage in the rising tide of the the Shrewsbury River.

Mr. Davis now faces a sentence of up 18 months in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, and up to 30 days of community service when he returns for sentencing on Feb. 14, 2020.

Judge LeMieux, we are asking you impose the maximum penalties permitted by law. This was a heinous and hideous crime. We believe and the evidence made clear that the full intent of Mr. Davis' actions toward this dog was a death by drowning. A slow, horrific, tormenting death as the waters would rise and slowly take the life of a living being helplessly locked in a cage.
There is no other reasonable outcome Mr. Davis could have expected when he abandoned the caged dog beyond the rope barrier and down the jagged rocks at the waters edge in the dark morning hours.
Were it not for a Good Samaritan and her own dog, we fully and reasonably know that this puppy would not have survived.

This puppy, who we now know as “River”, was at the mercy of Mr. Davis. There was not one thing he could do but cower, and crouch in the corner of that cage quietly whimpering, for hours as the waters slowly filled it. We do believe this was a crime of attempted murder.
It makes us sick. It is not acceptable.

As law abiding citizens we do however, respect the jury's 4th Degree conviction and implore that Mr. Davis not be given any leniency upon sentencing.

We thank your Honor for considering this petition and bringing forth justice.