The woman, named Alexis Cain, was sentenced to two years in prison after leaving her puppy in the car on a hot July afternoon. Although the puppy succumbed to the summer heat while sitting in the car, the owner of the dog (Cain) had no intent to inflict harm upon the animal.

The 24-year-Cain, who worked in a supervisory role at her job, displayed the ability to be a responsible young adult, despite what state prosecutor, Eric Christiansen says. ““I think it’s fair,” he says. “She left the dog in there for two hours. She killed the dog, basically. Just let it cook to death.”

The two year prison sentence is excessive due to the nature of the crime, yet Christiansen states that it was done to make an example out of people who may do what Ms. Cain did back in July. Alexis Cain is eligible for a program that would enable her to do her time outside of prison with stipulations of good behavior.

Regardless of the fact that she is granted such an opportunity, this is yet another example of the lives of animals being valued over the lives of Black humans. In the process, another Black life (Cain’s) has been made more difficult for trivial purposes.

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B. Clark