A Louisiana man accused of killing a girlfriend's cat and throwing it into a bayou has been sentenced to three years in prison.
The Houma Courier reports a judge handed down the sentence to 30-year-old Cody Toups after he pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated cruelty to animals Jan. 3.
Prosecutors say Toups also cannot own animals for 10 years.
The Thibodaux man was arrested in August. He was accused of grabbing the cat from inside his girlfriend's home and throwing it into Bayou Lafourche.
When the girlfriend's father tried to pull the cat out of the water, authorities say, he grabbed a machete and fatally struck the animal.
Authorities say deputies found the dead cat floating in the bayou with a large cut on its midsection.