Former owner of dog found shot in Cowlitz County arrested
A woman accused of abusing a dog she had owned in Cowlitz County was arrested on an animal cruelty charge.
On Nov. 2, 2023, PUD employees doing maintenance work found an English retriever along Spirit Lake Highway in Toutle. The dog had been shot and its snout was duct-taped shut.
The animal was taken to the Cowlitz Humane Society for treatment. X-rays showed it had been shot execution style.
Early in the investigation, the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office identified a person of interest in the case. Detectives interviewed witnesses and served search warrants. Evidence was recovered that confirmed the identity of the dog and its owner.
Investigators said a 33-year-old Castle Rock woman had owned the dog. She was arrested on Mar. 6 and booked into the Cowlitz County Jail.
The dog, now named Trooper, survived his injuries. He was adopted by Dylan Shulda, one of the PUD workers who discovered the injured animal.
“It picked its head up and looked at us, so we went and got over it and that was when we noticed its muzzle had been taped,” Shulda said.
The suspect is facing charges of first-degree animal cruelty, misleading authorities, and driving with a suspended license.
