HOUSTON – A Houston man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to animal cruelty in a case involving an emaciated puppy that was hung by its neck, according to Harris County Constable Precinct 1.
Carrick Green, 44, was arrested in 2025 after deputies said he hung the 5-month-old mixed-breed puppy, named Jinx, in the air by a leash and collar around its neck.
According to court records, Jinx was crying, yelping and struggling before becoming limp in about 45 seconds.
The puppy also suffered internal injuries and a shattered femur due to the abuse. The leg was partially amputated because of the severity of the injuries, authorities said.
Jinx eventually recovered and was adopted.
Constable Precinct 1’s Animal Cruelty Unit investigated the case in partnership with the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
When deputies arrested Green on an animal cruelty warrant, they found a handgun in his backpack, according to authorities.
Green was also sentenced to 10 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Constable Alan Rosen.
Authorities said Green has nine prior felony convictions, including attempted possession of a firearm by a felon and assaulting a public servant for attacking a detention officer at the Harris County Jail.
Rosen said the case serves as a reminder for people to report suspected animal abuse.
“Pets should be treated with kindness, not brutality,” Rosen said. “This was just vicious.”
Anyone who witnesses suspected animal cruelty is asked to contact the Houston SPCA at 713-869-7722.
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