WGN-TV

Man Sentenced to Prison for Throwing Poodles off Parking Garage

Do you remember this story? It was horrible then and it's horrible now just to read back through the incident. This man was sentenced to five years and we certainly hope this will be changed to an even longer sentence.

One poodle is dead and another is injured after a suburban Chicago man threw them off the top of a five-story parking garage.

Investigators believe 23-year-old Edward Hanania falsely claimed to be the owner of two toy poodles, one-year-old Angel and the dog's father, six-year-old Garo, later found out by a lost and found post on an area Facebook page.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Hanania paid a reward to the person who found the poodles. He then drove them to the top of a parking garage at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and threw them to the ground.

The Daily Southtown reports Hanania was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for felony aggravated animal cruelty and six years in prison for violating his probation on an unrelated drug conviction.

The dogs' real owner has been described as an older man who is heartbroken over what happened to them after they escaped from his home near 55th and Troy.

"I had an elderly gentleman crying so hard and praying over the dead body and over Angel, and Angel's been crying for him now," said Linda Estrada, Chicago Ridge Animal Welfare League.

READ MORE: Man Who Taped His Dog's Muzzle Shut Gets Maximum Sentence for Animal Cruelty

The hospital surveillance video shows a man pulling to the top of the parking deck, climbing from his car, looking over the ledge before walking back to the vehicle before the animals were thrown to the ground.

The case was closely followed by animal welfare advocates, who showed up to each of Hanania's court appearances and held a rally.

"I think our presence played a part in it, I really do," said Peggy O'Leary, one of the activists. "The state's attorney came out last time and talked to us and said the judge was aware we were here keeping tabs on this guy."

Do you think justice was served? Let us know in the comments below.

WATCH NOW: People Are Poisoning Dogs