Jason Daniel Cecil of Port Townsend was convicted for Animal Cruelty in the First Degree based upon an incident that occurred in August of 2020.   

According to the probable cause statement, the defendant’s wife returned home from an ER visit to find that Floki, the year-old family dog had a bandage on his front leg.  The defendant reported to his wife that the dog had gotten out and cut his leg.  The wife looked at the cut, saw it was a bad, deep cut and she took the dog to the vet where it received stitches and staples to close the wound.   

When the defendant went to work, the children reported to their mother what had actually happened to the Floki. 

The children said that Floki tried to take food off the table and when the defendant yelled at the dog and the dog snarled at him.  The defendant then chased the dog throughout the house, hitting and kicking the dog.  Eventually, the defendant cornered the dog in the kitchen and the dog once again snarled at him.  The defendant then grabbed a knife and cut the dog on its front leg.   

Based on the above facts, the Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office charged the defendant with animal cruelty in the first degree, a class C felony.  

Trial in this case started on May 8, 2023 before the honorable Brandon Mack.  During the trial testimony showed that Floki attempted to take food off from the table, nipped at one of the children when told “no,” and then Floki was placed in his kennel as punishment.  Eventually, Floki started to bark because he was in the kennel.  The defendant asked the children why the dog was in the kennel, and when he found out the Floki nipped at one of the children, the defendant pulled Floki out of the kennel and chased him around the house, beating him with an electrical cord.  At one point the children testified that the dog was locked in a room with the defendant and they could hear thumping sounds while Floki yelped in pain.  

Eventually the defendant cornered Floki in the kitchen and when Floki growled in self-defense, the defendant grabbed a knife and slashed Floki across his front foreleg. 

After hearing the above facts the jury unanimously found the defendant guilty as charged.  Sentencing is set for June 16, 2023.  The defendant faces a sentence of up to 365 days in jail as well as other consequences.