STANWOOD — No charges will be filed against a Stanwood man who was jailed last month for investigation of animal cruelty after police found three dead puppies in his home.
An investigation determined the puppies were killed by another dog. Thomas Young, 56, was in no way responsible, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Sherry King said Thursday.
“There’s no question that injuries were caused by another dog,” King said.
Young was arrested Oct. 20 on suspicion that he’d killed the puppies and had assaulted a roommate, court papers said. The next day, an Everett District Court judge ordered him held on $25,000 bail.
The case was forwarded to King. Young was freed when the prosecutor didn’t immediately file charges.
She requested additional follow-up work by Stanwood police. Among other things, she wanted to review reports by veterinarians who examined a living puppy that was in the home, and its dead litter mates.
Young’s family and friends maintained his innocence. They sought a veterinarian’s help. Stanwood police also asked a veterinarian to perform a necropsy on the dead puppies, Sgt. Barry Ruchty said.
The necropsy showed the puppies died from injuries inflicted by another dog, Ruchty said.
Officers took Young into custody that night based on what they found at the scene as well as statements made by two other people in the home, Ruchty said. Young had been drinking and was uncooperative when officers tried to question him about what happened, he said.
The arrest “was based on the facts they had at the time,” Ruchty said.
King said police had probable cause to arrest the man. There was a lot of blood, and a lot of yelling.
Officers initially didn’t know how the puppies had died and worked to get the reports from the veterinarians.
“It was a very thorough investigation,” King said.
Scott North: 425-339-3431, north@heraldnet.com.
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