Thurston couple charged with animal cruelty after officers find dead puppies at their home
A Thurston County couple is facing 14 animal cruelty charges each in connection to the mistreatment and death of many puppies.
Timothy and Taren Johnston, both 34, were booked and released from the county jail on Tuesday following a Feb. 14 Superior Court hearing.
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged the couple separately on Jan. 13 after an investigation by Joint Animal Services (JAS). Court records indicate multiple witnesses reported animal welfare concerns at the couple’s home, located in a neighborhood southeast of the Lacey Regional Athletic Complex, since at least September 2023.
Last summer and fall, Animal Services officers made several welfare checks at the property and determined a litter of puppies lacked adequate shelter. On Oct. 7, officers found six dead puppies on the property. JAS “humanely euthanized” a seventh puppy after it tested positive for parvovirus, a contagious life-threatening illness for puppies, according to court records.
The couple separately pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of animal cruelty at the Feb. 14 hearing. Judge Allyson Zipp ordered both of them to be released without bail.
Zipp also ordered them to surrender their remaining animals to a responsible third party and barred them from possessing or residing with any animals. The court tentatively set a jury trial for May 5.
The investigation
A probable cause statement describes the investigation into the couple from the perspective of law enforcement.
On Sept. 23, 2024, a witness reported to JAS that 6-7 puppies appeared to be without food or water on the property.
This was not the first time JAS received reports about the welfare of dogs on the property. On Sept. 26, 2023, a person submitted a statement with photos of a litter of four puppies without proper access to shelter.
At the time, an officer advised the owner that the puppies needed more shelter from the elements than a kennel with a tarp on top.
On Oct. 10, 2023, JAS received another report over the phone of animal cruelty at the property. In that instance, the witness said Timothy Johnston dragged the puppies and children followed suit.
An officer contacted Timothy Johnston and suggested he surrender the puppies to JAS. Timothy Johnston told the officer he would discuss the matter with his wife and he did not follow-up with the officer.
On Aug. 27, 2024, a witness told JAS that 10 dogs had been left outside on the property in a kennel that was too small and with little food or water. The witness also reported that children kicked the young dogs and treated them badly.
JAS received concerns about a litter of puppies on July 7, 2024, An officer responded to the property for a welfare check and found the puppies only had a kennel without a tarp as shelter and a BBQ to provide shade.
The officer told Timothy Johnston the puppies needed a doghouse. Given that this was a second accidental litter, the officer also informed him about spay and neuter resources.
On Aug. 27, another officer followed up on an additional welfare complaint and found that the puppies still lacked adequate shelter.
Another officer met with Timothy Johnston on Sept. 28 and examined the then 4-month-old puppies. This time, the puppies had access to water in a small kiddie pool, albeit one with leaves in it.
The puppies also had a kennel covered with a green tarp, but the inside was damp with mud and there was no bedding.
The officer advised Timothy Johnston that the puppies needed independent shelter, either a doghouse or an igloo with bedding, at their age. The officer added that the puppies’ water needed to be refilled daily so bacteria would not build up.
Timothy Johnston told the officer he had been too busy recently to rehome the puppies but he intended to do so. He also said he had no plans to neuter and spay the male and female dogs in his possession even when informed again that JAS would help with the cost.
On Oct. 6, the officer contacted Timothy Johnston again to check on his progress rehoming the puppies. He told the officer that he rehomed one puppy and he obtained but had not set up bedding for the remaining puppies.
On Oct. 7, two officers went to the property for another welfare check. When they got there, a witness at the fence line told the officers she was about to call JAS because one of the puppies was no longer moving and surrounded by flies.
The officers contacted Taren Johnston, Timothy Johnston’s wife and co-owner of the dogs. She told the officers the puppies had been declining in health over the last two days but the couple did not attempt to seek veterinary care.
She said the puppies had not received any vaccinations.
Timothy Johnston arrived about 15 minutes later. He walked the officers through the home, which the statement says had an oppressive smell of mildew and a fish tank entirely green with algae.
Once outside, the officers observed a dead puppy in rigor mortis, which indicated it died less than six hours earlier. Timothy Johnston told the officers he had not seen the puppies that morning and did not know any of them had died.
Officers then found five more dead puppies, all in rigor mortis, in the backyard and one that was still alive. The lone survivor was unable to stand up.
Timothy Johnston agreed to surrender the puppy that was still alive. Officers transported the puppy to JAS where it tested positive for parvovirus. The puppy was then euthanized per standard JAS procedure.
In the days that followed, JAS officers spoke with multiple neighbors who described seeing a clear decline in the health of the puppies.
One of the neighbors told the officers she confronted Taren Johnston about the puppies on Oct. 7, but Johnston insisted there was no issue.
Another neighbor told the officers he noticed the puppies beginning to appear lethargic and drooling the morning of Oct. 6. He said he saw Timothy Johnston check on the puppies that day as well.
A third neighbor told the officers the puppies appeared barely able to stand by mid-day on Oct. 7.
This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 11:41 AM.
