GRANBY - A 52-year-old man is awaiting sentencing at the Granby courthouse in a high-profile animal cruelty case.
Normand Girard pleaded guilty in August to three animal cruelty charges.
Girard abandoned a black Labrador and her six puppies last January on a roadside in Brome Lake.
At least two of the dogs had been shot in the head with a nail gun, and one died from its injuries.
Girard told reporters at the court house Wednesday that he regrets what he did and thinks about it everyday.
"I want to turn the page," he said. "It was a mistake. I wasn't in a normal state when I did it. The stress was too much and I cracked... But it's not an excuse."
Girard's lawyer said his client was suffering from severe emotional stress at the time. He has requested community service instead of jail time.
"He wanted to send a message that it wasn't the right thing to do, that he acted without judgement," Eric Cloutier said.
One animal rights' advocate said the court needs to send a message that such actions won't be tolerated.
"This is not an acceptable way to deal with an unwanted family pet," said Alanna Devine, executive director of the Montreal SPCA.
