Man sentenced to 4 years in prison for shooting, stabbing dog in Thurston County
THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. - A man who stabbed, shot, and attempted to drown a dog in Thurston County last year was sentenced to four years in prison on Friday.
Zachary Dickinson was found guilty of first-degree animal cruelty and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, stemming from the October 2023 killing of a young dog named Rocky.
According to court documents, the incident happened on October 16, 2023, when the dog's teenage owners heard their pet crying out in pain after Dickinson called out for Rocky and his littermate to eat.
Dickinson appeared to be holding a knife behind Rocky, who was covered in blood. One of the teenagers said Dickinson then got a gun, and they heard a gunshot as they were running out of the house.
Rocky's owners said Dickinson was upset because he believed the dogs had been tampering with a deer carcass that he had hanging in the yard.
When Thurston County deputies arrived at the scene, they noticed a trail of blood that led from the back of the house to the Nisqually River, where Rocky's body was found. It's believed Dickinson threw Rocky into the river after stabbing and shooting him, but the dog managed to swim out before succumbing to its injuries.
A forensic veterinarian determined Rocky suffered three wounds from a knife, a gunshot wound to the back of the neck, and ultimately died of shock from blood loss.
According to the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, the jury found that Dickinson committed the crime with an egregious lack of remorse.
"As prosecutors, it is our duty to seek justice, especially in cases involving the cruel and senseless infliction of suffering on any living being," said Thurston County Prosecutor Jon Tunheim. "This conviction sends a clear message that conduct involving such cruelty toward animals will not be tolerated in our community."
Dickinson is also a convicted felon, meaning he is not allowed to possess a firearm.
"Zachary Dickinson’s crime shocks the conscience. This was a deliberate, premeditated, prolonged, and gory attack committed with a degree of brutality and disregard for life that raises considerable concerns about the defendant’s future capacity and propensity for violence," said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Randy Trick during sentencing.
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