Man Filmed Abusing Puppies in Tuscaloosa Pleads Guilty, Gets 90 Days Jail and Probation
A West Alabama man who was arrested in 2020 after a video showing him abusing puppies circulated on Facebook has pleaded guilty to first-degree cruelty to animals and will spend 90 days in jail.
The suspect, 23-year-old Blane Austin Colburn, was seen in the video dumping three young dogs out of a crate and throwing two of them against a wall.
The video exploded on social media, and a Tuscaloosa Police spokeswoman said investigator Susan Curvin and the Criminal Investigations Division worked tirelessly to identify and eventually arrest Colburn.
Colburn, who was 21 when the video was filmed, was said to be a resident of Winfield, Alabama who frequented bars in Tuscaloosa.
Last week, Colburn pleaded guilty to first-degree animal cruelty, a class C felony, and was sentenced to 90 days in the Tuscaloosa County Jail and three years of supervised probation.
Under the terms of the plea agreement and sentencing order, Colburn could spend 10 years in prison if he violates probation during that period.
He began his time in jail last week and will remain there until November.
The TPD spokesperson confirmed that one of the puppies in the July 2020 video suffered bruised ribs in the abuse, but all three eventually made full recoveries.