Update on dog groomer animal cruelty case

Palmer, Mass. - Sharon Kozik, owner of Lotte's Professional Dog grooming, faced charges of animal cruelty after a toy Poodle named Rusty died during a grooming session.

Kozik skipped out on her initial court appearance back in mid-December.

Another court date was set for January 20. 

According to MassLive.com, Kozik's case was continued without a finding for two years.

Kozik has been ordered to pay $700 in restitution, nearly $600 in "additional costs", including a monthly $65 fee to probation. Kozik will also be attending mandatory anger management classes and counseling as ordered by the court.

Rusty's family is upset that Kozik will not spend any time behind bars for killing the little dog.

An exam revealed that Rusty suffered a cracked skull - apparently after being struck in the head with electric clippers.

Kozik's lawyer has stated that his client is "remorseful" over Rusty's death.

Rusty's family is still devastated by the death of their 4 yr-old dog - a companion who was a large part of his family's life.

The woman's grooming business remains in business and Kozik will have the charges she is facing dismissed as of January 17, 2014 if she manages to avoid charges which could land her in court between now and that date.

Read more on this story here.

Note: The dog featured in the photo which accompanies this story is not Rusty. This is Rocky, a dog available for adoption in NY. Please read Rocky's Petfinder profile at this link.

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