JUDGE GETS TOUGH ON DEPRAVED CREEP WHO HUNG HIS DOG

When Eric Shattuck decided he didn’t want his dog anymore, he tried to kill the poor animal by putting antifreeze in his drinking water, say authorities.

When the dog refused to drink it, Shattuck picked him up by the scruff of the neck and took him into his garage where he strung him up from the rafters with a choke collar – and let him choke to death.

“We were shocked by the level of depravity in this case. It was such a heartless thing to do. The dog must have suffered terribly before he died,” said Dale Bartlett, deputy manager for animal cruelty issues for the Humane Society of the United States.

Authorities said Shattuck, 35, killed his dog Swiper at his home in Appleton, Wis., on Sept. 26, 2007.

Cops went to the house two days later after receiving a tip – and found Swiper’s body in a garbage bag in the garage.

Shattuck told cops that after he strung up Swiper, he left the garage because he “didn’t want to see the animal suffer.” He was charged with felony mistreatment of animals.

The judge overseeing the case, Judge Mitch Metropulos, was so outraged, he rejected a deal worked out by prosecutors and defense attorneys that Shattuck be put on probation – and sent him to jail for a year.

“The actions here were a great affront to society, and society needs to be repaid,” the courageous judge said angrily.

“Mr. Shattuck needs to know that killing an animal – a defenseless, helpless animal – will be punished.”

Shattuck also received three years probation, 500 hours of community service – preferably at a dog park or animal shelter – and he is forbidden to own another animal.

“We only hope that the judge’s actions will echo throughout the whole justice system so that we can send a strong message that acts of animal cruelty will not be tolerated,” added Bartlett.