Walnut Creek Man Sentenced To Work Program For Dog Killing

A Walnut Creek man was sentenced Friday to 30 days in a county sheriff's work program and three years probation for stabbing to death his family's dog.

Todd Powers, 38, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor animal cruelty in the April 2012 dog killing, according to a story in the San Jose Mercury News.

Powers was not at the sentencing in Contra Costa Superior Court, so his attorney, David Larkin, entered the plea for him, according to the Mercury News.

Last month, Powers was ordered to stand trial on the animal cruelty charge after a preliminary hearing.

Powers said he killed the 10-month-old German shepherd with a hunting knife after it had showed aggressive behavior, killed some backyard chickens and nipped at his children.

Larkin told Patch last month that Powers felt he couldn't take the dog to the pound because he was afraid another family would adopt the animal and put themselves in danger.