I’m going to warn you: If you’re a dog owner, love dogs, have ever had a pet in your life, and are generally not a terrible person, this story is going to upset you. Because I’m pretty angry myself. This was a tough story to both read and report on, but I think it’s an important reminder that animal cruelty isn’t immune to being in the North Star State.

According to the Pioneer Press, Morgan Quinn Knutsen, a 22-year-old St. Paul man (sorry, “man”), is currently facing two counts of animal cruelty after he allegedly picked up a stick and “savagely and repeatedly” struck his girlfriend’s dog, a 10-year-old Yorkshire terrier-Havanese mix named Jack. According to what Knutsen told investigators, he “lost it” after the dog relieved itself in a relative’s bathroom earlier this summer. Knutsen then admitted that he left the dog, beaten and abandoned, outside the relative’s home; even falsely claiming to his girlfriend’s family that he simply couldn’t find Jack anywhere.

Let’s take a quick breather, because this story gets even worse. The official charges also state that while Knutsen tagged along with his girlfriend and her sister-in-law to search for Jack, he allegedly had the nerve to make fun of his partner for quote, “getting emotional over an old dog.”

Eventually, Jack was discovered, barely clinging to life. When veterinarians were finally able to treat him, they had to remove his left eye due to the severity of his injuries. He also had four broken ribs, bruises on his lung, and a broken jaw. Tragically, his family was forced to make the decision to euthanize Jack. I can’t imagine what it must be like to go through something like that. One of the worst things about this? That dog likely had no idea what he did to deserve that beating. Who could possibly do that to a dog? Horrible all around.

If all of these charges are indeed true, this guy is an absolute monster, and I hope justice will be swift and heavy. What a pathetic coward. Be better. Seriously.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to report animal cruelty and neglect, or you feel compelled to support a worthy cause after reading this story, the Minnesota Humane Society is one such option. These stories shouldn’t happen.

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