A Seattle kennel employee has been charged with first-degree animal cruelty after prosecutors say he assaulted a dog under his care, leading to the animal’s death.
Dejean Cornelius Bowens was formally charged September 29 by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for the August 3 incident, which occurred while he was working at Lazy Dog Crazy Dog, a dog boarding facility in Ballard.
According to charging documents, Bowens became irritable after a black Labrador named Mitch, boarding at the kennel, knocked something over around 4:20 a.m. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Bowens intentionally kicking the dog multiple times and later punching him as the dog tried to hide under a table.
In a probable cause document, veterinary staff at Emerald City Emergency Clinic told responding officers that Mitch arrived around 5:45 a.m., more than an hour after the alleged assault. The dog was mentally unresponsive with internal bleeding and suspected kidney rupture. Staff attempted CPR five times but were unable to revive him.
“The abuse ultimately led to Mitch’s death,” the prosecutor’s bail request stated, describing the incident as a “brutal attack on the pet of another, simply because the animal knocked something over.”
Veterinary personnel told officers that Mitch would have had a higher survival chance had he been brought in immediately after the assault.
According to witness statements, Bowens initially admitted to kicking the dog during a conversation with clinic staff. He also allegedly called a coworker shortly after the incident, crying and saying, “I messed up bad I kicked the dog.” That coworker later helped transport Mitch to the vet.
Seattle police reviewed surveillance video from the kennel that allegedly corroborated the incident, showing Bowens pursuing and striking the dog. Video from the clinic showed him carrying the severely injured animal into the facility more than an hour later.
Bowens, who has no prior criminal convictions or warrant history, is not currently in custody. Prosecutors requested that bail be set at $50,000 and are seeking a court order prohibiting Bowens from possessing or having access to any animals pending the case outcome.
In a probable cause statement, an SPD detective said it is reasonable to believe Bowens committed first-degree animal cruelty, a Class C felony under Washington law.
The dog’s owner told police that his wife had dropped Mitch off at the kennel days prior, shortly before giving birth to their first child. They were expecting to pick up their pet on the morning of August 3, the same day Mitch was killed, when they received the call from the emergency vet.
In a social media post, Lazy Dog Crazy Dog stated that Bowens had been terminated immediately after the incident. “We are heartbroken and outraged by what happened. The actions of this former employee are in complete violation of our values, our mission, and the standard of care we’ve upheld for over 16 years while serving tens of thousands of dogs,” the post continued.
The case remains under investigation.
