Bruce Beauregard reads the police report describing the officer’s version of what happened to his dog.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A 68-year-old Chehalis man has contacted an attorney after retrieving his dog from the city animal shelter and finding it had a broken jaw.
Bruce Beauregard is both steaming mad and broken hearted about his 6-year-old Dachshund-mix he called Rowdy.
Beauregard was alarmed when the police officer sent to collect his pet said the dog was aggressive so he “offered him his boot” and then horrified when he saw his dog sitting in the kennel with his head hanging down and his face smashed up. He said he was afraid to look closely, but when he rushed to his veterinarian, his fears were confirmed.
“The poor little guy, he couldn’t even lick me or lick my face,” he said.
The 16-pound dog was euthanized the same day.
Rowdy with broken jaw
The city denies the animal was kicked, but it’s an injury the veterinarian said he hasn’t seen in 30 years of practice. The bone was fractured completely, not just cracked, on both sides, according to Dr. Mark Giffey.
“It’s a little unusual to see both the left and right side, because usually there is an impact site,” Giffey said.
Chehalis Police Department Officer Bruce Thompson stated in a written report the Dachshund lunged at him so he offered the left toe of his shoe as a barrier. Thompson wrote the animal bit the toe and as it shook its head from side to side he heard a snapping sound; the dog let go and backed away.
Police Chief Glenn Schaffer said he has absolutely no doubt it happened the way his officer described.
“What Officer Thompson did is what anybody would do if about to get bit,” Schaffer said. “Offering a dog a shoe to bite is better than offering an arm or a hand.”
For Beauregard, a bachelor, whose constant companion is now buried in his backyard, the explanation doesn’t pass the smell test. He’s hoping his lawyer can make things right.
“I want to prosecute the guy that did this,” he said. “It’s awful, uncalled for and totally inhumane.
“If I did that to my neighbor dog, I know would happen to me. I’d be arrested, put in jail and fined for animal cruelty.”
Rowdy’s stay in the city’s temporary animal holding facility at the end of last month was unplanned. It began the evening of Aug. 23 when Beauregard was pulled over by a Chehalis police officer for weaving down South Market Boulevard and arrested for drunk driving.
According to the police report, the small dog in his truck was very aggressive when a second officer came to take the dog away.
Chief Schaffer points out the two officers got Beauregard out of the back of the patrol car and out of his handcuffs so he could assist in moving the dog. Beauregard said he helped them leash and muzzle Rowdy who was understandably upset.
“He was very protective of me, and didn’t like strangers handling me,” he said.
He said he warned them his pet wouldn’t like going to a kennel, wouldn’t be happy and wouldn’t eat.
Rowdy was taken to the city’s shelter off Kresky Avenue and after the officer finished getting breath samples and filling out paperwork, Beauregard was given his citation and then a ride to his home.
He tried to pick his dog up the following day, he said, but was told he had to wait until Monday morning.
Beauregard’s longtime buddy Scott Fanning who went with him described the same kind of puzzlement and apprehension when Officer Thompson addressed the men before opening the shelter door.
“He said, he was pretty aggressive when I was trying to get him. He was attacking me so I offered him my right boot,” Fanning said.
Once they got inside, they saw Rowdy with blood on his face, his jaw hanging and one tooth bent outward.
The officer was saying he thought the dog’s tooth was hurt and Beauregard was getting hot, asking who did it, who was taking care of his dog, Fanning said. Thompson replied he didn’t know, he said.
Fanning hustled his friend and the dog out the door and to the veterinary office, he said.
Two weeks later, Fanning said he still gets sick thinking about what transpired between a “big cop and a little dog”.
“I’m still crying, I can’t take it,” Fanning said. “He was one of my dog’s best friends.”
At the Chehalis Centralia Veterinary Hospital, Rowdy was shaking like an outboard motor, Beauregard said.
“I think he said we could probably save him, or we could try to save him,” he said. “I don’t recall exactly. I was crying.”
Fanning said he was too upset to stay at the clinic in support of his friend. Both men knew it wasn’t realistic to to send Rowdy to an orthopedic veterinary specialist who would attach metal plates to the fractures.
“When you get a broken jaw, that’s like a death sentence, cause dogs aren’t gonna lay around and suck on a straw and watch TV while they heal,” Fanning said.
Dr. Giffey said he’s thought about it a lot, wondering if the force of a dog’s jaw closing on a boot is strong enough to break the bones. It’s something he’s never encountered in three decades of treating animals, he said.
Whether twisting or shaking could explain it, would be a question for an orthopedist, he said.
“The police officer was the only witness to the injury, so I guess that’s where it stands at,” Giffey said. “I haven’t seen that myself.”
Weeks later, Beauregard is spending more time fishing with his friends and less time at home, because his quiet house reminds him that Rowdy’s dead.
“For six years he slept with me, never left my side,” he said. “Day and night, 24 -seven. It’s pretty strange not having him.”
But hanging out on the Cowlitz River fishing with his buddies who always bring along their dogs isn’t entirely better.
“Out there, all these dogs out there running around, and mine’s not there,” he said.
Bruce Beauregard holds a rain jacket clad Rowdy at a family birthday party.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I haven’t been able to find any updates on Sirens about the dog beater and what was done to him? I would appreciate being directed to the update if it exists. I have no desire to bash police officers..I think they have a very difficult and honable job but this Officer Thompson is the poorest excuse of not just a police officer but as a human being. A police officer that could kick a little dog that is muzzled so hard that it shattered it’s jaw and then is left for days to suffer in the kind of pain that I can only imagine without food or water is nothing short of a monster…If this man is a example of the kind of people our city not only hires but actually pays our tax dollars too to be a police officer here we as citizens have a lot to fear. This so called police officer is a disgrace to his profession and makes not only police officers look bad but the people running this city that would not only hire someone of such a low life character but are willing to keep him afterwards. What kind of people are running our dog pound that let any animal lay there in horrible pain without any medical treatment, food or water for days?? This happened a couple years ago but seems to be just sweeped under the rug..I’ve lived here just about all my life and I have never been so ashamed as I am right now of the city of Centralia and the city officials that run it and their lack of conscience or common decency to do something about such a disgusting act of cowardness by one of it’s police officers. Anyone that is capable of doing this too a scared helpless muzzled small dog is capable of a lot more and this being the only time this coward has done something this sick is not very likely at all. I just read a article about the ten worst cities considered to live in the whole State of Washington and Centralia was listed as the number ONE worst! Bad news travels fast.. Thank you city officials for making our home town look so bad with your poor hiring and decision making skills, not to say anything about your lack of compassion for it’s citizens pets and treatment of. No wonder we have such a high rate of child abuse here and high crime rate when you allow morally vacant crimminals to be police officers. There’s always going to be bad apples in any profession in any town but what matters is how your city officials handle one when it shows it’s ugly head. They either do the right thing and get rid of it by setting a example that these kind of disgusting acts will not be tolerated from anyone and no one is above the law or they can sweep it under the rug sending the message bad behavior is exceptable as long as it comes from a taxpayer paid city official and not one of it’s towns community citizens.
Clear Understanding appears to make a case for absolving the officer of ALL responsibility. So, if killing an innocent dog is ok – is it ok to shoot any other innocents? Bystanders, maybe? Little kids? Anyone in the vicinity? And then blame the perpetrator for “causing” the harm? Seems like, in your book, cops have total authority and no responsibility. Yeah, THAT sounds like a great idea.
Unfortunately there are people in this world who are so ignorant, sick, angry, evil, and unhappy with their lives that they will take it out an innocent little animal.
I hope the guy who did this some day realizes what a scum bag he is and what horrible things he has done and suffers all of the pain that he gave little Rowdy and Mr. Beauregard. I don’t know how he could live with himself and I don’t know how his employer could justify him doing what he did and not firing him – I guess that’s civil service.
I know that I live for my precious little creatures and that they keep me alive because I need to take care of them.
This case needs to be reopened and charges made..this monster has no business walking the streets
I never saw this article before but wished I had…I am really surprised by several of the cold and lack of compassion for a lttile dog that was MUZZLED soooooooooo just how much danger could a 300 lb man be in? No matter what the Owner did or didn’t do has nothing to do with What a 300 lb Coward took upon himself to do to a small scared muzzled dog…And to be a Police Officer makes it even worst. If this is a example of the kind of Men that we have working for us in the Police Dept. then that is a very, very scary thought…There is no justification in As He Said Himself he kicked the dog and it’s pretty obvious even for the lame of mind like this poor excuse of a human being that would kick a little dog so hard that it broke both sides of it’s jaw and then just left it to suffer and had to go without food or water for days…Both sides of jaw were broken which means he struck the dog more than once..this over weight coward that hides behind a badge is nothing short of a Disgusting Monster that doesn’t even have the sense to feel shame. What does it say not only about this lame brain that is running on morally empty but the kind of character of people running the dog pound that would let a animal lay for days in excruciating pain and without food or water…???? As a taxpayer I resent even more paying these jerks for this kind of animal abuse at it’s lowest level. They need too find other jobs that are not around anything living and Thompson should of been Fired and behind Bars like the Criminal he is..
this officer had heavy leather boots on; this was a 16lb2oz wennie dog;who would not go to anybody but his owner;Ive known rowdy for about 6 years,and he only let me pet him twice,so I know that rowdy was running to get away from the officer.This dog feared every body but his owner;rowdy could not in any way shape or form cause fear or threat to a grown human.
MAY YOUR DOGREST IN PEACE,AND THE EARTH THAT COVERS HIS CASKET BE LIGHT MAY GOD PUNISH THOSE RESPONSIBLE,GOD BLESS
Doesn’t matter why a pet lover would drive drunk with his pet, what does matter is the brutality of this officer……………get it! good.
I <3 U ROWDY BOY <3
Blunt force trauma, period. The public needs to step up and demand his badge and pension. Makes you wonder what other small life forms he has kicked and abused. Psychopaths start with small animals and move up to kids. He needs to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, bottom line.
my buddy was with the owner the day they went to the citys secret dog pound.The one armed pos cops lyed lyed lyed.hang his yass
Brandon says:
“The backwards logic of the cop sympathizers is completely insane. You all sound like loyal Nazi citizens defending the 3rd Reich.”
And you sound like someone with a deep psychological imbalance who cannot tell the difference between a political party who murdered millions of men, women and children and a cop who MAY have hurt a dog.
I find your misuse of language to be infuriating on several levels, foremost because you cheapen the murder of millions by comparing the people who supported that hideous action with the people who give one Chehalis Cop the benefit of a doubt over an injured dog. That you can draw any similarity between the two is absolutely nauseating.
Rather than attack the writhers, ask something relevant and reasonable like:
“Did the boot have bite marks on the toe to support the cop’s story, or was there only a scuff and no bite marks?”
Work the story to find the facts. Leave your own hatred of authority in a box somewhere and write questions and comments that help fill in the gaps to prove your point of view. Spewing hate takes no ponderance of thought and only pushes you further from proving any position you were hoping to enhance.
Nazi Deaths in Camps and Street Murders:
5.1–6.0 million Jews, including 3.0–3.5 million Polish Jews
1.8 –1.9 million non-Jewish Poles (includes all those killed in executions or those that died in prisons, labor, and concentration camps, as well as civilians killed in the 1939 invasion and the 1944 Warsaw Uprising)
500,000–1.2 million Serbs killed by Croat Nazis
200,000–800,000 Roma & Sinti
200,000–300,000 people with disabilities
80,000–200,000 Freemasons [23]
100,000 communists
10,000–25,000 homosexual men
2,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses
Larry Butler Fan says:
“I would hope that people will learn from this incident, rather than using it as an excuse to bash the police.”
While it’s a peaceful sediment, it’s just not going to happen here. Too many folks with history who want to gouge out their .02 worth out of a cop whenever possible; not probable.
I was in the home service business for years and I don’t know how many times I was bitten or nipped at by little rat dogs and the damn owners either think it’s cute or they say “Don’t worry he won’t bite you he is such a sweet dog” and there have been times I have told owners control your dog or I will control him for you. And they asked me what does that mean and I said I have the right to protect myself and I will protect myself. PUT YOUR CUTE LITTLE DOGGIE ON A F**KING LEASH AND THERE WON’T BE A DAMN PROBLEM
The backwards logic of the cop sympathizers is completely insane. You all sound like loyal Nazi citizens defending the 3rd Reich.
So, because a man was committing a crime it justifies the dogs death?
The drunk driver deserves to go to jail for drunk driving AND the lying pig deserves to go to jail for animal cruelty RESULTING IN AN ANIMALS DEATH.
The act of one crime doesn’t wash away the crime of the other person. Both of them are wrong and they need to be punished.
Yes. The owner bears responsibility for his part in creating the events., no question. But let’s just remove his behavior from the equation for a moment.
I am horrified by the negligence by our public employees. I think most of us can smell the bs coming from the “boot offering” story from a mile away. The scene the witness described with the cop mentioning maybe the dog’s tooth was hurt while saying he didn’t know who had done it is just sickening.
Why was this life threatening injury not taken care of at the kennel? At the very least, could someone not have called him? And why in gods name couldn’t he pick up his dog the next day? I shudder to think the poor thing sat in a cage for days with it’s jaw hanging like that.
If an officer is scared for his safety, why not call in animal control? Why was the muzzle not kept on.? So many questions that stretch common sense.
Yes, THIS owner should’ve done things differently, but so should have the people dealing with him & his dog. What happens if you get into a bad accident with your pet in the car, and you are taken from the scene by police or ambulance? Would you feel comfortable letting the “authorities” deal with your loved pet? Even though it makes one feel better to think that bad things happen to people that deserve them, and “it couldn’t happen to me”, there are lots of situations where you could find yourself suffering from the negligence and cruelty of the people who not only broke a poor dog’s jaw, but let him suffer needlessly. That is why many are outraged and that is why I would like to see some consequences to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
Or, I could just offer my foot…
why didnt the cop call animal control, who are trained to deal with “aggressive animals”? it doesnt matter if the owner of the dog was driving drunk or not he still has property rights including not having public officials damage his property (the dog) due to their negligence. furthermore how the fuck does a leashed AND MUZZLED dog attempt to bite someone?
Can I kick the cop in the mouth with steel toed boots and see if his jaw breaks ?
Larry Butler, YOU and the COP are the douches here!!! It is sickening that anyone has so little regard for the poor dog! Maybe one of these days you and the cop can get together and compare notes on how to be an asshole! oh, wait! you have both already achieved that status.
Karma is a bitch……
I wish we could put jerks like you on an island with Komodo Dragons and nothing but your “boot” to defend yourself!
Point is: a dog was killed from probable police brutality. Nothing else need be said.
This issue isn’t even about drunk driving, stop deflecting. It’s about a 300-lb fatass cop kicking a dog so hard that he broke its jaw.
Oh this ten pound dog was such a huge threat to the 300-lb cop. Kick my dog that hard and see what happens to you.
The dog’s owner needs to shoulder the responsibility of having his pooch in his vehicle while driving drunk. If people would consider the consequences for their actions ahead of time and conduct themselves responsibly, many problems would be avoided. Cops are not perfect, but they are all we have to protect us from complete anarchy and mayhem.
Why didn’t the staff at the shelter notice that the dog was so injured???
I remember reading about this when it happened. Poor dog was only defending a rotten owner. Where would the out-cry be if the drunk had an accident, the dog was hurt and placed in the shelter and had to be put down from the owner’s injuries?
What if the dog ran into the road and was hit, instead of attacking the officer?
And how many have run into work boots? A dog is not a snake – it’s mouth is not hinged.
Sad for all.
DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!
Bravo Clear Understanding!!! Your completely logical evaluation was completely on point.
I would hope that people will learn from this incident, rather than using it as an excuse to bash the police.
Mr. Beauregard should not have been driving drunk. He should not have had his dog in the car, especially since he was driving drunk. That being said, the poor dog did not deserve to be abused by the police. No way did a dog shake a boot or shoe so hard that it would break it’s jaw that way.
I think he does have a case against the police. HOWEVER, if he had not been putting his dog and everyone else in danger, it would not have happened. Since he was drinking, he should have stayed at home with his dog.
There are some people that just will not take responsibility. The officer was doing his job…butfore the fact that
The owner was driving drunk
The owner had the dog with him while drunk
The owner had dog unsecured
The owner chose to keep dog insecure
The owner seemed not to have had training or proper socialization on dog to get over issues that put dog in such a place
The owner was unable to handle his dog due to choosing to be drunk…
the officer would not have had contact w such dog and the dog would not have been put in such position.
This poor dog suffered because of many poor choices made by the owner. Choices that could have easily prevented this situation…
No driving drunk w dog
Having dog in a crate
Damn those are such easy preventatives. Oh, and they are ALL owner’s responsibilities.
SHAME on the entitled, irresponsible, ignorant owner! As a dog trainer and owner…VERY crystal clear where the fault lies. Good gravy, a $30 (maybe $5 at yard sale) crate would have resolved the dog issue even if the dumbass made decision to drive drunk.
Yet we blame the cop. I see nowhere where the cop was in the wrong. Why should he have to be put in position to make a decision between risking being off work and injured or harming a dog to prevent that? As a person who has dealt a lot w dog bites…even little dogs can create damage from bites. I have been around a lot of ankle, shin, and foot bites by little breeds that have rendered people unable to walk for periods of time. Seen children with swollen faces due to one little face bite by small dogs.
Not sure when people started becoming so stupid. The blame should be on the owner.
@Mr Nice Guy, well at least in this case the evidence seems to suggest that, yes, Officer Thompson was an animal beater that night. Maybe it is something he is just starting to get into. As far as the dog’s owner, I know nothing about him, but I feel badly for his loss. If you are calling him a piece of sh*t drunk because he got a DWI you should hold your tongue since that would make one of Thompson’s colleagues in the last week or so a piece of sh*t drunk as well.
the facts are in: the dog was abused by the cop ok the dog wasnt killed or harmed in anyway bu the owner… how many of u buckle ur dogs in when there in the car? this guy deserves to win his and his little dogs case
It seems these stories of police abusing/murdering animals is becoming more and more common. There have been several videos on YouTube recently that show officers shooting dogs that they deem a threat. Unfortunately, in several of the cases the cops feel threatened merely by barking because that is all the dog was doing before they got a bullet to the head. I agree barking can be annoying, but for a cop who has undergone hours and hours of training in how to handle stressful situations such as being outnumbered, chasing somebody in unfamiliar territory, or the very unlikely situation that they are actually shot at you would think that being barked at wouldn’t require deadly force. Mailmen and Newspaper Carriers seem to be able to deal with it.
Dogs usually aren’t my favorite, but I love all animals (more than most people) and animal cruelty should be treated a lot more seriously than it is in the legal system. People who abuse defenseless animals should be looking at harsher punishment than these people they catch with a dime bag on them (imo). I realize it is harder to catch somebody in the act of abusing an animal, but when they do they need to throw the book at them because it is disgusting behavior and a sign of much deeper mental issues.
Officer Thompson should feel like a coward. The injuries described sound like Thompson “offered him his boot” alright….about 10 times. As a civilian, try offering one of the local police dogs your boot and see what penalties you face and those are dogs that are actually trained to hurt you. Unlike a 16lb Dachshund. God forbid an old lady ever dismays Officer Thompson.
If anything, I am sure the Officer of the Peace will be given paid leave. All of your boot licking will be forgotten when they are coming for YOU.
Hahahaha some people ..I’ve known officer thompson my whole life he ain’t no animal beater.the dogs owner is a piece of shit drunk
Its tragically obvious what happened to the poor dog, i have been around all kinds of dogs my whole life and not once have i heard of a dog with thst severe of injuries from biting ANYTHING! The police officer beat the crap out of tge dog and probably with his nightstick. Put him in jail take away the badge!!
Makes me sick
He suddenly “loves” his dog now that’s it a convenient excuse to sue the police for money.
What a bullshit story, everyone knows he kicked the dog. That cop should be ashamed of himself.
Why would a so called pet-lover drive around drunk with his beloved ‘friend’ unsecured in the vehicle?
Seems to me HE could have easily killed his own dog!
What a douche. Get over it. You don’t really love dogs so just go to the puppy mill and buy a new one.
OWWW!
Another fine example of cops looking out for cops! The cop is a coward if he is in fear of a dog that size! Sorry 4 your loss and I hope you stick it to that pos cop!