Cape Girardeau man convicted of killing neighbors' dog by poison

A man convicted of killing his neighbors' dog will serve 30 days in jail, Associate Circuit Judge Michael Bullerdieck ruled Wednesday.

Ralph H. Ziegler, 58, 1315 Ashland Hills, pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon to one charge of animal abuse for poisoning a Sheppard mix named Lola.

Lola belonged to Brian and Mindy Hodges, and died on Nov. 8 from internal damage caused by eating  ribs laced with antifreeze.

Ziegler was charged with poisoning the animal after he confessed to leaving the plate of ribs out because the dog was barking at night.

Ziegler's attorney, Al Lowes, argued that his client would lose his postal service job if he were forced to serve jail time.

Ziegler had been suspended from his job since the charges were filed in November 2008, Lowes said.

Lowes asked that Ziegler be sentenced to community service, but prosecutor Julie Hunter asked that he serve some time in the county jail for what she called "a vengeful, malicious act."

In addition to the 30 days shock incarceration, to be served at the Cape Girardeau County Jail on weekends, Ziegler was sentenced to a year in jail, with a suspended execution of sentence.

He was also sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay restitution to the Hodges for the vet and cremation bills for Lola and the cost of a new dog, about $1,650 total.

"I'm just sorry about everything, so sorry," Ziegler said during the hearing.

Mindy Hodges gave a statement to the court asking that Bullerdieck send the message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated.

"We realize that this did not involve a human being, but the loss of our family pet, of our children's pet, has been unexplainable," Hodges said.