Police arrested a Washington man for allegedly torturing and attempting to kill his dog in the desert. According to 3 News Las Vegas, Wayne Johnson took his dog, Kea, out to the Nevada desert and tried to kill her.
Injured dog discovered in Nevada desert
On March 18, someone called the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to report an injured dog that appeared to have been the victim of an attack by another dog. Authorities transferred the pup to the Animal Foundation. There, staff discovered that the dog had multiple stab wounds on her head. Her throat had also been cut open twice on the right side.
A veterinarian stabilized the dog, but she required a feeding tube and surgery. Though the pup lived for several days, staff decided to euthanize her because of the dire situation.
While at the veterinary clinic, staff found a microchip on the dog. It identified her as Kea and the registration indicated she lived with Johnson. Police called him, and he confessed to trying to kill Kea. The dog was old, sick with cancer, and had blood in her urine, he said. (The Animal Foundation later refuted that story, saying their tests did not indicate Kea had any such illness or urinary issues.)
Johnson took Kea on a trail hike near Nevada Telephone Cove Road. He often used to walk with the dog there; they had good memories together. So he ended the dog’s life in that cherished place by hitting her with a hammer, then slitting her throat.
Suspect shows no remorse for torturing dog
Johnson was apparently very chatty with detectives. He told them that during his upbringing on a farm, he learned to put animals down. Normally, he used a gun for this purpose. However, on the day he attempted to kill Kea, he was traveling and “couldn’t” use a gun. He decided on a hammer instead. He thought he “finished the job” and left the dog to be eaten by wild animals (“because it was the circle of life,” he told police). Notably, when Johnson told police all this, he didn’t think he did anything wrong.
Officers told Johnson of the dog’s condition, which was stable at the time. The man responded that “it was too bad that they were wasting all that money on a dying dog,” according to 3 News Las Vegas.
Police arrested Johnson on Sept. 14. He now faces one count of malicious torture to kill an animal.
