SHEBOYGAN – A 28-year-old Sheboygan man who was found guilty on charges of mistreating a dog that suffered from starvation, muscle wasting and lesions was sentenced Aug. 17.
Sheboygan County Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Persick sentenced Spencer J. Husak to 18 months in state prison with 24 months extended supervision for a felony count of animal mistreatment that caused death and nine months in jail for a misdemeanor count of intentionally failing to provide proper food and drink to a confined animal.
Husak cannot own, possess, train or care for an animal for five years after his release from prison. He was also ordered to pay about $1,750 in restitution to the Humane Society of Sheboygan County, where he adopted the dog.
This sentence follows a three-day trial earlier in August when a jury found Husak guilty on both counts. He pleaded not guilty in June 2024, according to court records.
Husak was also sentenced to 18 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision for a separate case of second-degree sexual assault of a child. Husak entered a no contest plea Monday.
Persick ruled that the sentences would be served consecutively. Husak has 582 days of sentence credit for serving jail time during the sexual assault case.
Both cases shared a common thread, Persick said.
“They both involve inflicting pain and suffering on another living being who doesn’t have the ability to protect themselves,” she said. “One, because the victim was a child, the other because the victim was a confined animal. That is extremely predatory behavior.”
Dog was adopted in May 2023, but was brought back starving and suffering within months
Husak adopted a three-legged pitbull terrier named Ember from the Human Society of Sheboygan County in May 2023, court records show.
A Sheboygan police officer was called to the animal shelter on Jan. 24, 2024, when Husak brought Ember, then 3 years old, back. She had lost about 40 pounds, had pressure sores over her body from lying in one place, and in urine, for a long period of time.
Ember was coated in urine when she was brought in, according to the complaint. She could not hold her head up and was grinding her teeth, indicating she was in pain. A foul odor coming off her body indicated she was in organ failure.
Ember had to be euthanized as a result of her condition.
Husak told police Ember had fallen down the stairs a few days before he brought her into the animal shelter. Ember had been losing weight since then, regardless of what he fed her, Husak said. He didn’t taken Ember to a veterinarian, according to the complaint. Husak had brought her to HSSC only once after adoption, in June 2023.
Husak told police he would feed Ember three times a day and that she always ate her food. Ember would eat so fast, he said, that she would frequently vomit. He had changed her food shortly after adopting her and had gotten her a slow feeder bowl about two weeks before bringing her into the animal shelter, Husak said.
Defense says no intent to harm dog, but judge disagrees
Before Persick’s ruling, Christopher Eippert, Husak’s defense attorney, asked the court to consider concurrent sentences of six months for the felony mistreatment charge and three months for the misdemeanor charge of failing to provide proper food and water to Ember.
Eippert said Husak was trying to reach out to friends for help, and he should’ve done more to help Ember, like taking her to a veterinarian.
“I think everybody was in agreement that what happened to Ember is not something that Spencer wanted to happen, not something that he ever desired,” Eippert said. “He, I think, genuinely wanted to have a companion that he wanted to be there. Is that selfish? Perhaps from some perspective. I think that’s a lot of times why people have pets — for a companionship that they otherwise don’t have.”
Persick disagreed.
“I don’t think there is any agreement that you didn’t intend this to happen to Ember. It may not have started out that way, but it certainly ended up that way,” Persick said.
Persick weighed the need to protect the community and gravity of the offenses with Husak’s character.
Husak graduated from South High School, served in the Army Reserves for six years and volunteered as a firefighter for the town of Wilson for eight years. He worked in apartment building maintenance and at a local powersports vehicle dealership. Husak has a 6-year-old son from a previous long-term relationship.
Character statements from family members and friends described Husak as kind, loyal, considerate and willing to help others. One letter from the mother of his child said being a father is important to Husak.
Ember bonded with Humane Society staff, volunteers between surgery and adoptions
Ember first came to HSSC in July 2021 from Lakeshore Humane Society in Manitowoc because she needed a spay surgery and a leg amputation. After recovering, Ember returned to Lakeshore. She came back to HSSC and was adopted out, but then she was brought back before being adopted by Husak in May 2023.
While in HSSC’s care after surgery, Ember had a gregarious smile, greeted strangers with full-body wags and kisses, and enjoyed playing in a pool on a hot summer day, Kate Hodges, event coordinator with HSSC, said during the sentencing.
“There is something especially unforgivable about harming an animal who gives us nothing but love and has no voice to tell us when something is wrong,” Hodges said.
Ember bonded with staff and volunteers. Since she was recovering from surgery, she stayed at the animal shelter longer than typical, said Lisa Marek, director of operations at HSSC.
“We got to know her a lot better and got to love on her so much more,” Marek said.
Humane Society offers free pet food assistance
Pet owners who can no longer take care of their pets can surrender them to the Sheboygan animal shelter. In partnership with the Sheboygan County Food Bank, HSSC also offers free dog and cat food to owners in need through an pet food assistance program. Owners are eligible to participate in one-year increments.
Learn more at https://adoptsheboygancounty.org/programs-services/.
(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)
Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or agarner@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan man found guilty of mistreating dog will serve prison time
Reporting by Alex Garner, Sheboygan Press / Sheboygan Press
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By Alex Garner, Sheboygan Press | USA TODAY Network
