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February 23, 2010 in City
Dog poisonings leave trail of questions and anguish
Meat contained quick, ‘horrible-death’ poison
David Cheney buried his two dogs, Abby and Snoopy, in the backyard of his home on the 3300 block of East 55th Avenue.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
Abby collapsed near the back steps, convulsing before her owner took her inside, where she died.
Her companion, Snoopy, died shortly after, both victims of what animal control officials suspect is a targeted assault using poisoned meatballs to kill a Spokane man’s best friends.
The attack on Abby and Snoopy took place in the 3300 block of East 55th Avenue. Another dog living near Regal Street and the Palouse Highway died Friday. Then on Monday, a homeowner near 36th Avenue and Grand Boulevard found a suspicious meatball similar to those found Friday.
Officials suspect a connection but haven’t determined one. The meat will be sent to Washington State University for testing.
Meanwhile, dog owners are urged to inspect their yards and keep their pets indoors, and the Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to an arrest.
In each case, officials said, the targeted properties have doghouses, signs or other indications that dogs live there.
“It looks to me as though somebody is just driving around and wherever they see evidence of a dog living there, they toss those meatballs out,” said Gail Mackie, executive director of SpokAnimal. “It doesn’t make a difference where you live; you’re not immune.”
The people responsible for the tainted meatballs face charges of first-degree animal cruelty.
Nancy Hill, director of the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service, described the substance as “a very fast-acting, horrible-death kind of poison.”
The meatballs “are very attractive, and they’re very lethal,” she said. “A dog can eat a meatball before you can even blink an eye.”
The woman who found the meat in her front yard on Monday “for some miraculous reason” had only let her dogs in the backyard that morning, Hill said.
“She was extremely upset knowing those were sitting in the area,” Hill said.
Abby and Snoopy lived with 21-year-old David Cheney and his family.
Cheney found the dogs early Friday after they ate what officials believe are the same type of meatballs found earlier that day near Regal Street and the Palouse Highway.
A SCRAPS investigator found several suspicious meatballs in Cheney’s neighbor’s yard.
“I spent Friday and Saturday burying both dogs,” Cheney said.
Both are buried in the backyard under large wooden crosses. Snoopy’s grave is below a tree he liked to lie under on sunny days.
The Cheneys brought the dogs with them from Florida when they moved to Spokane in 2002. Cheney said he has no idea who would want to hurt them or why.
“The cops have better get ahold of him before I do,” Cheney said. “I’ll go to prison over it.”
Human trafficking suspects released 
mikewsu on February 23 at 9:51 a.m.
“The cops have better get ahold of him before I do,” Cheney said. “I’ll go to prison over it.”
I think a lot of people feel the same way, these soulless scum should realize some atonement will be coming.
jen28 on February 23 at 11:47 a.m.
To the Cheney family, I am SO sorry for the loss of your adorable dogs and in such a cruel and horrific way and I wouldn’t blame pet owners if they took matters into their own hands. I live in ND now, but can’t believe this is happening not too far from where I grew up in Spokane. I hope with all my heart that the person(s) that is doing this are caught and punished very soon.
Bucky on February 23 at 12:38 p.m.
Ditto, with comments made so far, very sorry for your loss, think the punishment should be the same as the crime…
deltaelk on March 04 at 2:14 p.m.
sure is interesting to read these comments. The poor fella gets killed on his bicycle by a drunk driver and almost no comments or sympathy for him or his family and loved ones. But people are ready to hang whoever is killing dogs. Sure are some weird priorities in Spokane.
xaochal on February 16 at 2:59 p.m.
When I was about 10 years old, my dad’s black lab was poisoned in a similar manner. That dog was the bomb, friendly, full of energy, liked by all. Fortunately, my mom, sisters and I were out of town when it happened, so we didn’t have to witness his death which, going by what my dad told me, was similar to that described above. Forty years later I still think of it from time to time, and I always have to wonder what kind of person gets off on doing such a thing.