No jail time for man who beat dog

POST FALLS — A man who admitted to beating a dog bloody earlier this year will serve no additional jail time.

Jesse L. Jones, 49, of Post Falls, pleaded guilty last month to animal cruelty, a misdemeanor.

The charge stems from March, when Jones reportedly attacked a year-old border collie named Bubbers behind CDA Import Auto Repair in Post Falls.

An employee said he saw Jones sitting on Bubbers and repeatedly punching the dog in the head.

Brandon George, who owns both Bubbers and CDA Import Auto Repair, set off on foot in search of the person who attacked his dog.

He said he pursued Jones more than a quarter of a mile, until Post Falls police caught up with them.

Jones reportedly had blood on his hands, as well as scratches and puncture wounds.

The beating left Bubbers bloody. Jones reportedly broke 11 of the dog’s teeth, which had to be removed.

A fundraiser on social media covered the cost of Bubbers’s dental work.

In May, Jones pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.

In Idaho, cruelty to animals is generally a misdemeanor, but some forms of abuse become a felony if the defendant has previous animal abuse convictions.

Misdemeanor cruelty to animals is punishable by a maximum of six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

District Judge Timothy Van Valin sentenced Jones on Friday to 180 days in jail, with 11 days credit for time served and 149 days suspended. The remainder is to be imposed at the discretion of the probation office.

He also placed Jones on supervised probation for two years and ordered him to pay a $300 fine.

Jones said he had stopped taking medication used to treat his mental illness prior to the incident.

He said he was hallucinating when he attacked Bubbers.

“I was seeing and hearing people that others couldn’t see and hear,” he said in court Friday.

Jones expressed remorse for what he described as a “terrible, violent” act.

“I am so sorry to the dog and his family for what I did,” he said.

After Jones was arrested, Post Falls prosecutors reportedly worked with his attorney in order to get him help for his mental illness.

Judge Van Valin said that cooperation is an example of how the legal system can help people improve their circumstances, rather than simply punishing them.

Jones has taken an active role in his treatment, his attorney said, and wants to be held accountable for his actions.

“I’m taking this terrible tragedy as an event to change my life for the better,” Jones said.

George said he believes the sentence is appropriate.

“I think it’s a good start for Mr. Jones,” he told The Press on Friday. “I wish the best to him and hope he gets better.”

As for Bubbers, George said he’s recovered and his friendly, trusting nature has endured.

“It’s like it never happened, except he’s 11 teeth short,” he said.