No jail time for Kamloops man who beat Chihuahua to death

KAMLOOPS – A Kamloops man who admitted to beating his Chihuahua to death out of fear for his family won't have to spend time in prison.

Christopher Mathes, 41, was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge in Kamloops Provincial Court today, Oct. 18. Judge Roy Dickey also imposed a condition that Mathes is not to own any dog for one year, far from the 10-year prohibition Crown prosecutor Alex Janse asked for.

Mathes pleaded guilty to the animal guilty charge in August and said it was the worst decision he's ever made.

On Oct. 11, 2015, Mathes killed the dog by repeatedly striking it over the head with a fence post after the animal bit his six-year-old daughter in the face.

"It was clear that (the dog) was… unpredictable around both people and dogs," Dickey said.

Mathes' wife had asked him to let the dog outside after the incident while they tended to the girl's wounds. Mathes then attempted to put the dog in the family's garage but it became aggressive.

The less-than-10-pound dog lunged at Mathes and he grabbed a fence post, striking the animal in the head. Mathes said he could tell the dog was suffering and wouldn't live, so he hit him over the head repeatedly until the dog died.

"This is an exceptional situation," Dickey said. "This should not be considered condoning what occurred."

Mathes has been placed on a one-year conditional discharge where he will have to report to a probation officer and won't be able to own or reside with a dog for one year.

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