A 34-year-old Portland man who is accused of killing his girlfriend’s 3-pound Yorkshire terrier made a first appearance Monday in Clark County Superior Court.
Yuri A. Feitser faces allegations of first-degree animal cruelty and possession of methamphetamine. Judge Gregory Gonzales set Feitser’s bail at $7,500, which court records show was posted the same day.
According to a probable cause affidavit, a Clark County sheriff’s deputy responded at 5:32 p.m. Friday to Feitser’s girlfriend’s residence in the Five Corners area after she called 911 to report Feitser had abused her 7-year-old dog “so bad it was killed.”
By the time the deputy arrived, Feitser had left and animal control officials were on scene. Upstairs in the master bathroom, the dog, Romeo, was lying on the floor, and a large stereo was next to him, according to the affidavit.
Feitser reportedly told his girlfriend the stereo, which had been mounted on a wall, fell and killed Romeo, the affidavit says.
There was a screw sticking out of the wall where the stereo was mounted, and another appeared to be missing. Nothing was knocked off the counter below, and the girlfriend noted that some items on top of the stereo had been neatly placed on the counter, according to the affidavit.
Additionally, the deputy noted there was no damage or debris to indicate the stereo fell off the wall naturally, the affidavit says.
The girlfriend and deputy reviewed video from a security camera in the master bedroom.
In the footage, recorded about three hours prior, no one is in view, but Romeo can be heard in distress, along with a few thuds. Feitser can be heard breathing quickly, according to the affidavit.
Feitser reportedly enters the camera’s view holding the dog; he runs around the house cursing, before attempting CPR on Romeo. Feitser, at one point, moves the camera twice, completely obstructing its view. The deputy who wrote the affidavit noted noise, which he alleges was likely Feitser removing the stereo from the wall, the affidavit says.
Feitser left the house with some belongings, texting his girlfriend two minutes later; he did not mention that Romeo was dead.
Later, he texted her multiple times saying he tried to resuscitate the dog and couldn’t believe the stereo fell on him, according to the affidavit.
Animal control took the dog to perform a necropsy, according to the affidavit. The deputy wrote Romeo’s condition indicated he’d been dead for a couple hours.
Feitser was not arrested during the initial investigation, and the affidavit does not provide details on the basis of the drug possession allegation.
