Judge rules Gig Harbor man who duct-taped dog's snout can never own a dog again

TACOMA -- Pierce County Superior Court Judge Bryan Chushcoff on Wednesday sentenced a Gig Harbor man to 80 hours of community service and ordered him to never own a dog again after he pleaded guilty to wrapping duct tape around the snout of a dog to stop it from barking, The News Tribune reported.

Paul G. Sweeney, 57, had been charged with felony first-degree animal cruelty, but prosecutors allowed him to plead to a reduced misdemeanor charge of second-degree animal cruelty after neighbors vouched for Sweeney's character, the newspaper said.

Sweeney was arrested in June after a tipster called police after noticing a Doberman pinscher in Sweeney's backyard with its muzzle and front legs duct-taped.

The News Tribune said Sweeney admitted in court Wednesday to temporarily taping the dog's snout to keep it from barking. Sweeney said he never meant to hurt the dog, "Daisy," which belonged to his son. Daisy has since been given to another family, the newspaper said.