When violence toward pets is not random, it is often carried out by a husband or boyfriend. Tubby was repeatedly hurt after Nicholas Martinez moved in with his petmom. Martinez was sentenced last week for the cat’s death.
The Martinez case illustrates the point that many men show a pattern of violence or intimidation toward their wives’ and girlfriends’ pets. A veterinarian became suspicious of the cat’s multiple injuries and contacted the Oregon Humane Society; Tubby had suffered repeated abuse incidents before his tormenter was reported.
Martinez was charged, pled no contest, and was sentenced in the case. Unfortunately, the sentence does not carry any prison time as long as Martinez does not violate the conditions of his probation. The no contest plea suggests that Martinez could have faced greater punishment if found guilty.
The Oregon Humane Society reported on the case:
A series of suspicious injuries to a cat named Tubby, followed by his death, has resulted in a plea of no contest to a criminal animal abuse charge made against a SW Portland resident.
An examination of the cat’s remains, authorized by a court order requested by the Oregon Humane Society, found that Tubby’s injuries were consistent with violent trauma occurring at different points in time. Tubby suffered from numerous lesions, head and rib fractures, burns, an abdominal hernia, and other injuries.
The Oregon State University veterinarian who examined Tubby’s remains at the request of OHS stated that he believed Tubby “was swung around by the hind legs and slammed against a stationary object.”
In a plea agreement entered on February 10, 2012, Nicholas Carlos Martinez of SW Portland pleaded no contest to one count of Aggravated Animal Abuse in the First Degree. He was ordered to pay $1,000 to OHS and serve 100 hours of community service. Misdemeanor sentencing was finalized on June 11. Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Karin Immergut sentenced Martinez, 25, to one year of probation, an additional 64 hours of community service, and $200 in court fees. Martinez is also barred from owning domestic animals for five years.
Veterinarian Dr. Terese C. DeManuelle, owner of the Allergy & Dermatology Veterinary Referral Center, first contacted OHS Humane Officers about Tubby because of the suspicious nature of his injuries. The injuries were discovered soon after the cat’s owner moved into the residence of her boyfriend, Nicholas Carlos Martinez. “I’m happy that I was able to be part of the team that helped bring a measure of justice for Tubby,” said DeManuelle. “I hope I never have to see anything like this again.”
“We’re encouraged that Oregon law requiring the reporting of animal abuse is working,” said Sharon Harmon, OHS executive director. “In this case, there was no eyewitness to tell the court what happened to Tubby, and we would never have known about the nature of Tubby’s injuries if it were not for the diligence of a caring veterinarians like Dr. DeManuelle.”
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Wipe that stupid smirk off your face you a**hole! No one thinks you are funny or cute! What you did was HORRIBLE. Somebody should swing you around by your legs and throw you into things!
what a piece of filth. I blame the woman as well though for letting it happen. Any man tries to hurt my cats will end up badly injured by me. Some woman are so desparate for a man they will take on any loser and look what happened an innocent animal was abused. I hope someone finds him and hirts him badly.
Why wasn’t the owner charged? I wish that more severe charges were brought against both of them. Well maybe some day animals in our society will have better laws to protect them.
Kalani, the ‘badge’ is a watermark stamp showing the name of the county sheriff’s office that took the booking mug photo.
Other than that I am right with all the other commentators. The woman is trash too. Some women will stay with a worthless a-hole like this even when he abuses and mistreats their own CHILDREN just to have a ‘man’. So, what chance does a ‘worthless’ animal have? I am a cop and have seen this very dynamic played out so many times it sickens me.
Those are the same women who will tell you right off the bat “My children are my life” too. I hope he violates and gets sent to the jail itself. Sometimes inmates mete out their own brand of ‘justice’. Sometimes they just do it just for fun too.
WHAT?! No, he should have gotten at least 12 years, such as the case of the woman who beat two kittens with a base ball bat.