A Portage man had entered a no contest plea to one count of mistreatment of animals. Brandon Shearer had been accused of using a hammer to beat a dog to death. Shearer reportedly told investigators he was upset with the dog for urinating and defecating in the house, so he took it outside and put in down. A woman had called 9-1-1 to report he killed her dog by hitting it in the head with a hammer.
