Trial of two in cruelty to dog delayed to September

CENTRALIA — The trial of two defendants involved in the case of an abused dog in a small Thurston County town has been rescheduled for Sept. 21.

Originally, the trial was scheduled Wednesday in Thurston County Superior Court.

Robert Leatherman, 51, and Jeffrey Gavin, 44, both of Bucoda, south of Olympia, are charged with first-degree animal cruelty and second-degree animal cruelty, respectively, for a case that drew international social media attention in October.

Leatherman was the owner of the dog, and Gavin was allegedly responsible for shooting the dog.

The dog, known as Wolfy, was determined to be an extreme case of abuse after a necropsy completed in November said the dog “suffered long-standing neglect,” according to field officer and cruelty investigator Erika Johnson, with Thurston County Animal Services.

Evidence of starvation was apparent in the investigation, and the dog had been plagued with maggot-infested wounds.

The necropsy showed Wolfy had experienced a slow death after being shot several times.

Both defendants entered not guilty pleas in May.