That’s why it’s disheartening to hear stories of animal abuse, especially when the abusers get away without any form of punishment. But one judge decided that there won’t be any of that in his city, Painesville, Ohio.

Municipal Court Judge Michael Cicconeti was tired of animal abusers having little to no punishment. Since sentences are made to encourage and enforce lawful behavior, he gives out unusual sentences to teach abusers valuable lessons they will never forget. Judge Cicconeti’s advocacy for animal rights is rooted from his love for animals. He fell in love with animals when he got his first dog, a Dachshund mix named Herman. From there, his love for animals grew. Now, he has a ten year old Bernese mountain dog named Kasey.

As an upstanding member of the legal profession, judge Cicconeti doesn’t give out dangerous or unlawful punishments. But he isn’t beyond giving offenders a little discomfort and embarrassment either. Take this one case where one woman abandoned 35 kittens in the woods. To help the offender realize the gravity of her actions, the judge sentenced her to spend a night in the woods by herself. During the hearing, he told her “How would you like to be dumped off at a metro park late at night, spend the night listening to the coyotes … listening to the raccoons around you in the dark night, and sit out there in the cold not knowing where you’re going to get your next meal, not knowing when you are going to be rescued?”