Island Lake man pleads guilty to throwing dog against wall and killing it, sentenced to probation

An Island Lake man pleaded guilty Thursday to killing a dog by choking and throwing it against a wall and was sentenced to two years of probation.

David Dally, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated animal cruelty, a Class 4 felony. In exchange for his guilty plea, charges of aggravated domestic battery and domestic battery were dismissed, according to court records in the McHenry County courthouse.

A Class 4 felony typically carries a sentence of one year to three years in prison and also can result in probation, as occurred in this case.

Island Lake police were called to Dally’s home at 9:43 p.m. Aug. 14, 2021. When they arrived, Dally picked up a small dog, which officers learned had been killed during a domestic dispute earlier that evening, police said.

Dally continued to pet the dog as if it were alive as he spoke with police, Island Lake Police Sgt. James Gainer said at the time.

“Basically, when they told him the dog was dead, he just threw it back in the bed carelessly,” Gainer said.

Officers later learned that Dally and a woman he knew were arguing at his home when Dally strangled the dog and threw it against a wall, police said.

Dally then choked the woman and told her she was “next” as she tried to help the dog, Gainer said. The woman was able to leave the home and contact the police with the help of a neighbor.

Dally also was sentenced to 60 days in county jail, which was stayed as long as he follows the rules of his probation. He also was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation and pay $1,884 in fines and fees, according to court records.

He also was ordered to have no contact with the woman involved in the incident.