A Newbury Park man has been handed a 180-day jail sentence along with a two-year probation period for his despicable actions towards a helpless animal and a local business, as mandated by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. Miles Matthew Berry, born February 21, 1989, was also slapped with a stern prohibition from owning any animals as part of the conditions of his probation after pleading guilty to charges including felony animal cruelty and commercial burglary, as reported by the Ventura County District Attorney’s website.
Berry broke into Paw Works animal shelter in Camarillo on June 9, 2022, and removed a German Shepherd puppy named Pretty Girl. Surveillance captured Berry striking the resisting puppy, which was later found wandering and severely hurt in the U.S. Highway 101. Those life-threatening injuries led to the decision to euthanize the dog. The convicted returned to the scene of the crime on September 4, 2022, this time captured tampering with a surveillance camera, but the alarm at Paw Works sounded. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office collared Berry on September 28.
In a statement concerning the sad case, Deputy District Attorney Nadia Aboujawdah lamented the loss, saying, “The tragic loss of Pretty Girl has left a hole in the hearts of many at Paw Works and within the surrounding community," and expressed satisfaction that Berry is being held accountable, per her words in the official DA’s statement.
Berry is slated to begin his stint behind bars on December 28, 2023, and will be back in court on January 16, 2024, where he faces a restitution hearing to address the financial damages his actions have wrought in courtroom 11 at the Ventura County Superior Court.
