BOISE -- A Boise man, who thought he was rescuing an injured dog and her puppies from the cold, has now been charged with grand theft. His attorney says he had permission. It is a story that's gaining attention on both sides of the state.
Troy Jackson works with Northwest Animal Companions. He says it's not unusual for him to travel great distances to rescue animals in need. So when he got a call about an injured dog and her puppies in southeast Idaho, he didn't hesitate. What is unusual he says is to be charged with grand theft.
"The very notion that he's charged with a crime is ridiculous," said Chuck Peterson, Troy Jackson's attorney.
Peterson says his client had permission to take Barbie and her puppies from a home in Jefferson County last month and treat them. The mixed breed dogs were reportedly neglected, malnourished and left in the cold. But shortly after he returned to Boise with the dogs, Jackson was arrested and charged with grand theft. The owner now claims he never gave Jackson permission.
"We want a higher sense of protection and value placed on children and animals in our county," said Jana Beyerlyn, Rigby resident.
The Jefferson County sheriff says his deputies did investigate animal cruelty, but determined not to press charges because the dogs were going to be treated by Jackson. That is even more baffling to Jackson's attorney.
"He isn't out there stealing dogs to sell like a store or something. He's out there rescuing dogs. And the idea was we would get the dogs back in good health and they would go back to the owner or be adopted out whatever the owner chose," said Peterson.
Jackson said the plan was to nurse the dogs back to health, but now he says he's getting calls from animal activists in Jefferson County asking him not to return the dogs. They said this case is an example of the lack of animal protection laws in the county. It will now be up to a judge to decide what happens next. Meanwhile, the dogs are being nursed back to health at a foster home in Boise.
Jackson is scheduled to appear in a Jefferson County court later this month.
"I think he has plenty of proof that he had contact with the dog's owners as well as the deputy sheriff before he left the county or was on his way back to Boise. They're likely all alive because of what he did. He's not a criminal. He should be somebody who the community I think would rally in support of," said Peterson.
Some people in the Rigby community are supporting Jackson. They held signs in support of Jackson on Monday morning at the Jefferson County Courthouse. They say the dogs' owner is the one who should be charged for animal neglect. They're pressuring county commissioners to drop the charges against Jackson.
