Defendant Sentenced to Prison for Torching Dog

DATE: June 4, 2021

CASE: Petra Santiago Gabriel (Case #20FE010778)

PROSECUTOR: Deputy District Attorney Monica Robinson, Animal Cruelty Unit

The Honorable Patrick Marlette sentenced Petra Gabriel to 7 years in state prison. On April 13, 2021, Gabriel pled to felony animal cruelty with a weapon and admitted to a prior 2007 strike conviction for robbery.

On July 7, 2020, Gabriel’s dog got into a fight with her sister’s dog, Doody.  After the women were able to separate the two dogs, Gabriel sprayed Doody with a flammable substance.  Gabriel proceeded to burn Doody with a butane torch, engulfing Doody’s face and body in flames.  Miraculously Doody survived thanks to the help of Sacramento County Animal Control and UC Davis veterinarians.  Doody remains in a specialized medical foster home, will require a lifetime of medications and must wear a T-shirt at all times due to his extensive body burns.

Gabriel has two prior convictions for using flammable substances, both in the course of a robbery and an assault.