Thunder the Wonder Dog's former owners pleads to malice and inflicting intentional harm

 

Rather than go forward with her demand for a jury trial that was scheduled to begin tomorrow, Tuesday, October 6th, defendant Katie Rhiannon Smith, age 34, of Caspar, instead entered an open plea of no contest Monday morning to having committed felony animal abuse in December 2019 against a dog now widely-known on the Mendocino Coast and on the Internet as Thunder The Wonder Dog.  

As charged by the District Attorney, the felony conduct that the defendant admitted having committed was that she maliciously and intentionally maimed, mutilated, tortured, or wounded a living animal, to wit, Thunder.

By statute, the maximum sentence that the sentencing judge may impose in this matter is a prison sentence of up to 36 months in the Realignment local prison (Low Gap) and a fine of up to $20,000.

The defendant was ordered to return to the Fort Bragg courtroom on December 2, 2020 at 9 o’clock in the morning for the formal sentencing hearing.

As used herein, an “open” plea means no promises were made by the prosecution as to what sentence the defendant will ultimately receive as her sanction.   

As used herein, a “no contest” plea to a felony is the same as a guilty plea for all purposes.

Thunder The Wonder Dog was an injured and abused canine found wandering in the woods in December 2019 and rescued by concerned citizens.  See, https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/wonder-dog-found-wandering-and-bloodied-in-a-mendocino-county-forest-rec/?artslide=0 . 

It was later determined by the veterinarian that Thunder was suffering from gunshot wounds, dehydration and malnutrition.

Any interested member of the community who would like to weigh in on this matter, make respectful comment, and/or urge a particular outcome may send a letter no later than November 18th to:

Mendocino County Adult Probation Department

Re: Thunder The Wonder Dog

700 S. Franklin, Rm 107, 

Fort Bragg, CA 95437

 Likewise, any community member interested in the outcome of this case is welcome to attend the sentencing hearing on December 2nd at the courthouse at 700 S. Franklin Street in Fort Bragg.

Facial coverings and social distancing will be required for attending the December 2nd sentencing hearing.