Alexander Atkind, the former Cornell student who pleaded guilty in September to felony animal abuse, was sentenced to six months in county jail and five years probation in Tompkins County Court, Oct. 16.

The sentence, which Tompkins County District Attorney Gwen Wilkinson had requested at a sentencing hearing Sept. 17, followed Atkind's admission of injuring his roommate's dog in March.

According to published reports, Atkind, 23, of Lexington, Mass., had beaten and poured a bleach mix on the Labrador-pit bull mix while the dog had temporarily been in Atkind's care. The injuries left the dog, now in foster care, with permanent damaged eyesight.

Atkind was indicted on the felony aggravated cruelty to animals charge in May after originally being charged with a lesser offense related to injuring animals. His sentence also includes $5,000 restitution to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and mandatory psychiatric evaluation and treatment.

He also will not be allowed to own, care for or reside in a home with pets and will be subject to a stay-away order of protection from the harmed dog and its owners, according to Wilkinson.

Atkind is currently serving a sentence in Tioga County Jail on a drug-possession charge, relating to a March 17 incident in which he was found to possess hallucinogenic mushrooms. He is to serve the Tompkins County jail sentence after his release from Tioga County.