A Massachusetts man facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly killing his bulldog with a hammer told police the dog was sick and he could not afford to pay a veterinarian to put it down. Charles Berube, of Methuen (meh-THOO'-ehn), appeared in court Thursday. A jury trial is scheduled for Aug. 20. Berube owned the dog, named Spot, for 10 years. Animal welfare investigators say the 53-year-old told them the animal had been sick for weeks and had lost a lot of weight. It had swollen legs and had trouble walking. Berube says he did not want the animal to suffer...