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No Charges For Jail Officer Who Shot Dog In June

Prosecutors decided not to press charges against a Chelan County Jail employee who attempted to euthanize his dog this summer.

The incident occurred June 5, when the dog’s owner took him to Beehive up the Squilchuck and shot him three times. He forgot a shovel to bury the dog named Louie, went home to get one but when he returned Louie was gone. A passerby had found him and called Wenatchee Valley Animal Care and Control.

The case was originally investigated by the Wenatchee Police Department, but because the owner works for Chelan County, in July the Chelan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office appointed Arian Noma, Okanogan County Prosecuting Attorney as Special Prosecutor to review the case for criminal charges.

Noma concluded his review of the case September 6 and said the facts of this case do not support probable cause to find that the owner committed animal cruelty in the first or second degree. The owner said he attempted to put Louie down because he was aggressive and had bitten his two sons. Attorney Noma wrote that although archaic to some, it is still common to euthanize pets and livestock by firearm. 

That’s not an acceptable answer, says Wenatchee Valley Humane Society Director Dawn Davies. She released a statement yesterday that the conclusion sends a very dangerous message.

She said there was a public outcry following the shooting and thousands of dollars were donated to the shelter to help pay for Louie’s surgeries and other medical expenses. He’s now at a foster home continuing to recover.

Davies said Wenatchee is a no-kill shelter, but there are euthanization options available for pet owners.

1 Comments

  1. Katherine Ryan on September 21, 2019 at 9:46 am

    Sad, but, it doesn’t suprise me. They rarely prosecute attorneys or law enforcement in this valley for crimes committed. Rarely is it determined that a crime has been committed. It’s obvious to most intelligent people that a completely different set of rules apply to these folks.

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