A 20-year-old Arvada man pled guilty this week to aggravated animal cruelty for shooting and killing his girlfriend’s dog with a bow and arrow. Zackary Scott Ruszka was arrested on December 4, 2008, after Arvada police were called to investigate a ransacked house and a dead dog in the garage at 6946 Otis Street.
At the house, police found Ruszka in the basement. Ruszka lived at the house with his girlfriend and her parents. The girlfriend and her parents had gone to California on a family emergency, leaving Ruszka and another roommate in charge of the house and family’s dog.
Ruszka pled guilty on April 20 to the class six felony aggravated animal cruelty for killing the dog. He was also originally charged with underage possession/use of alcohol, however that count was dismissed. Ruszka could face up to 18 months in prison for a class six felony. Sentencing has been set for June 15 at 10:00.
