A Bloomingdale man is facing a felony animal cruelty charge after prosecutors say he killed his son's registered emotional-support dog last August inside the family's Hanover Park home. The dog, Ace, a 4-year-old mixed-breed pit bull, was later found bleeding in the garage after going missing from his kennel, authorities say. Prosecutors add that the discovery and the injuries have been especially devastating for the children in the household.
According to FOX 32 Chicago, DuPage County prosecutors have charged 47-year-old Sandeep Dhillon with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals and say he was taken into custody earlier this week. DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin called the allegations "unconscionable" and said his office will answer them "with the full force of the law," according to the release.
What Investigators Found At The Scene
Police went to the home on Aug. 17, 2025, after Dhillon’s children reported that Ace was missing from his cage and later found the dog bleeding on the garage floor with a leash knotted around his neck, prosecutors say, as reported by Patch. Officers documented blood on the sliding glass door railing, dried red residue and dog fur on a door frame, drops of blood through the kitchen and on the garage threshold, a blood-covered pillowcase on the backyard patio, and a wooden table leg with apparent dog hair and staining.
Necropsy Points To Blunt-Force Trauma
A postmortem exam by the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory found significant hemorrhaging in Ace’s face and neck that was consistent with blunt-force trauma, along with dried blood in the animal's fur, paws and mouth, according to FOX 32 Chicago. Prosecutors wrote that "the amount of blood loss was sufficient to have caused death."
Charges, Hearings And Potential Penalties
Dhillon is charged with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 4 felony under Illinois law, and that designation can carry a prison term of one to three years under state sentencing statutes, per Illinois law. The DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed a motion to revoke Dhillon’s pretrial release in an unrelated case, and a hearing on that motion is set for Thursday. Prosecutors say Dhillon is due back in court on Feb. 9, 2026, as reported by Patch.
Prosecutors in DuPage have brought felony cruelty charges in other family-dog cases in recent years, and local coverage has documented county prosecutions involving violent pet killings. A 2024 Naperville case that drew county attention involved a defendant accused of killing a household dog, according to the Daily Herald.
Dhillon's case remains an allegation, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Court filings and the prosecutor's release show the next scheduled hearing related to pretrial release and the underlying charges is Feb. 9, 2026.
