Animal torturer Nicolino Camardi faces new animal-related charges

The Calgary man who tortured a dog and kitten and left them to die has been arrested again, and faces new animal-related charges.

Nicolino Camardi is charged with breaching his probation conditions on Wednesday, accused ofdrinking and living with an animal.

It's very concerning," said BradNichols, the head of the Calgary Humane Society's animal cruelty investigations."This one is probably more concerning than most given the intentional cruelty inflicted on the animals."

In 2014, Camardi who was 18yearsold at the time of his arrest pleaded guilty to two charges of animal cruelty after a two-year-old husky and a kitten were found dead in a southeast alley with their muzzles taped shut.

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A necropsy found the husky died of starvation while the nine-month-old kitten had been strangled and had suffered other injuries to its body.

Camardiabused the animals over a period oftwo tothreemonths. He got them from a family who was giving them away on Kijiji.

Nichols says in his 10 years in animal cruelty investigations, this was the worst casehe's ever seen.

"This one on the face of it was a very intentional cruel act for no apparent reason at all," said Nichols."On a scale of whom you might be most concerned about re-offending, this one ranks up there."

Camardi's lawyer, Jack Kelly, asked for leniency at thesentencing hearing, arguing his clientwas using a "stunning"amount of prescription and illicit drugs and was abusing alcohol at the time of the offences.

22-month sentence

After taking into account the 16 months credit Camardi was awarded for the time he hadalready served, there was just six months left ofthe 22-month sentence handed down by a provincial court judge last March.

Aformer girlfriend of Camardi'stold police she witnessed himabusinganimals and that he spoke to her about murder andkilling humans.

That information came out in a court transcript from a hearing in whichCamardi's ex-girlfriend was seeking an emergency protection order against him.

It isunclear when he was released, but onWednesdayCamardi was arrested by a peace officer at a home in the northeast community of Temple.

Camardi made a court appearance on Thursday afternoon and will remain in custody. His next appearance is Feb. 4.