Mason County man pleads not guilty to animal cruelty

HAVANA, Ill. _ A Mason County man has pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty for beating a cocker spaniel in the head with a hammer.

The attorney for 53-year-old Freddie Mock said during a Thursday court hearing that Mock was trying to euthanize the dog.

But Mason County Sheriff's Deputy Fred Ray testified a woman paid Mock $25 to kill the dog.

She said the dog had become aggressive. The woman, Connie Vanderheiden, has also been charged with animal cruelty.

The dog was euthanized after emergency surgery by a veterinarian was unsuccessful.

Animal cruelty is a class four felony, which carries a possible sentence of one to three years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.