A vicious attack on a helpless dog was documented on a business owner’s security camera. Join In Defense of Animals in calling for maximum prosecution of a man who carried a young, nearly limp puppy across a parking lot and proceeded to repeatedly stomp the puppy’s head into the curb as the puppy tried to escape.
In late March, a businessman in southeast Oklahoma City discovered the brutalized remains of the puppy and he checked security footage, then contacted Oklahoma City Animal Welfare, which handled the investigation. A reward was offered to the public in the hopes of identifying the man. Before the arrest, Master Sergeant Jennifer Wardlow with the Oklahoma City Police Department said, “This is a very dangerous individual, we want to identify this person.”
An Oklahoma woman was subsequently rewarded with $2,000 for identifying her ex-boyfriend, the man in the video.
On April 9, 2024, officers of the Oklahoma City Police Department (OKCPD) arrested Larry Don McMillian on charges of cruelty to animals and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The allegation that he stomped the puppy to death prompted a background search. It was discovered that he had an outstanding warrant for possessing a weapon in another case. His ex-girlfriend may have gotten due satisfaction from turning him in. She complained that he abused her and her dog.
When interviewed, ex, Sarah Looney volunteered, “He started getting that way (abusive) to me and then my puppy. People like that need to get help or not be let out of prison. I am glad he is locked up for what he did to animals, and for what he had done to me.”
The robust evidence against McMillian and the serious approach taken by authorities are encouraging. However, we must remain vigilant as the court proceedings begin. It’s crucial to encourage and support prosecutors handling animal cruelty cases, which often receive less attention and much less consequence than human-on-human crimes. Your signatures show that public demand for justice is strong and this can and often does positively impact the sentencing phase of the trial.
Doll Stanley, our Justice for Animals Campaign Senior Campaigner, ensures the cases you support are prioritized, advocating tirelessly with prosecutors to focus on what the public demands.