In December 2008, a five-month-old pit bull, Gigi, was hit by a car. Gigi and her owner were crossing the street near their Staten Island home when a car struck the dog.

According to Gigi’s owner, the car was on the wrong side of the street. The driver left the scene of the accident. Gigi suffered fatal injures and died at a nearby animal hospital.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was notified of the incident two days later and began investigating.

On December 27, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement agents arrested the alleged hit-and-run driver, Rafael Lauda, on multiple charges stemming from the accident. Lauda, 22, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injury to an animal and driving with a suspended license. If convicted of all charges, he faces more than a year in jail.

According to Dr. Robert Reisman, ASPCA Medical Coordinator of Animal Cruelty Cases, any animal hit by a car needs immediate medical attention, whether or not they appear fine. The ASPCA recommends dog owners remain extra alert when crossing the street with dogs—keep them close, and never use extension leashes near high-traffic areas.

And if you have witnessed animal cruelty, report it (Report Cruelty FAQ).

In other news, on December 30, rapper DMX—known legally as Earl Simmons—pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty, among other charges for theft and drug possession.

The charges stem from a raid in August 2007, when Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies found 12 malnourished pit bulls and the remains of three dogs at his home.

To assist law enforcement officials in their efforts to prosecute Simmons, the ASPCA’s Mobile Animal Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit was called into action. Leading the forensic investigation, the ASPCA’s Dr. Melinda Merck examined the remains of the dead dogs recovered from his property.

Simmons is a repeat offender—in 2002, the rapper pleaded guilty to 13 counts of animal cruelty, charges resulting from the neglect of 13 pit bulls. As a result of this most recent prosecution, the rapper faces at least 90 days in jail, can never again own any animals and must attend an animal offender treatment program. A parole violation would send him to jail for more than 10 years. A sentence hearing has been scheduled for January 30.

Maybe Lauda and Simmons can share a jail cell…