Chelsea man pleads guilty to misdemeanor animal disposal charge in 'Jetta' case

ROGERS COUNTY, Okla. - The Chelsea man charged with the improper disposal of a carcass has pleaded guilty.

Gary Hart, 52, accepted the misdemeanor charge Tuesday, a day after the Rogers County district attorney filed it against him.

Hart told authorities in September he had found a dog injured on his property and chose to shoot the animal to end its suffering. The man also told deputies he tied it to his trailer hitch and dragged it into a ditch near his home two days later.

DA Janice Steidley said there was no evidence to show Jetta, a black labrador retriever, was alive at the time of the dragging.

The plea comes with a potential $500 fee and up to a year in jail. Hart is being held on $500 bond.