Um, uh, hey buddy, is that your dog on fire over there?

Detroit man set his pet dog on fire and left it to burn
Detroit Free Press
Sept. 12, 2007 04:58 PM

DETROIT - The apology came too late from a man who set his pet dog on fire and left it to burn as he walked to a Detroit corner store last month.

Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner struggled to come to grips with the case Wednesday before sentencing John Delmar Fladger to 23 months to four years in prison.

"This case shocks the conscience," Groner said. "This case is something I've never seen before."

Fladger, 52, who served prison time for an armed robbery conviction, said he was sorry. But he offered no explanation.

"I'm very remorseful about what happened and my soul love for dogs is great, " Fladger said.

Michele Baxter, a cruelty investigator for the Michigan Humane Society, told the judge that the 2-year-old female pit bull-shepherd mix was so badly injured that euthanasia was the only option.

"I would put this at one of the more severe cases that I've seen and that we've seen," Baxter said.

Baxter said Fladger poured gasoline on the dog and set it on fire Aug. 3 before walking to a liquor store to buy beer. She said the dog, named Lil' Mama, followed him into the store, where a store owner expressed concern over the dog.

"He told the store owner that he was trying to kill the dog," Baxter said.

Police arrested Fladger on the street after someone called about the burning dog. He initially denied setting the dog on fire.

The judge also ordered Fladger to receive psychiatric treatment in prison.