Man found guilty of animal cruelty charges in 'Puppy Doe' case

QUINCY, Mass. -- The man accused of torturing a dog so badly it needed to be euthanized has been found guilty in the case that’s grabbed national attention.

The jury returned a verdict in what became known as the "Puppy Doe" case Monday afternoon. Rodoslaw Czerkawski now faces up to five years in prison for each of the 12 animal cruelty charges he was convicted of.

He’s scheduled to be sentenced at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Norfolk County Superior Court.

"I hope he'll die in prison where he belongs so he can't hurt any other animals," said Deanna Terminiello, an animal advocate.

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Animal advocates called Monday’s guilty verdict a milestone in the fight for stricter animal cruelty laws and enforcement.

Many of those passionate advocates have been vocal about the case that began in the summer of 2013.

“Puppy Doe”, as the female dog became known after she was discovered, was euthanized about a month after she was found near a playground in Quincy.

Veterinarians said she had suffered from some of the most severe injures they’d ever seen, including  fractures to the skull, crushing injuries to her spine and a dislocated shoulder.

Police said it all began when Czerkawski bought Puppy Doe off Craigslist. According to prosecutors, not only did he repeatedly beat her, he also starved her.

"I can't imagine what she went through, the pain and suffering," said Terminiello. "We're all crying, it was very emotional."

Czerkawski was also charged with witness intimidation but was found not guilty of that charge.

His sentencing will be based on what the law was when he was charged in 2013.

The state has since stiffened its animal cruelty laws and some local leaders are trying to take it a step further with a new bill that passed the Senate earlier this month.

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