The condition of the Husky-type dogs found abandoned in the south and western part of Bonner is documented in this photo shared by the Bonner County Sheriff's Office.
January 26, 2023
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Pair sentenced to jail in dog abandonment case
A couple charged in the abandonment of 31 Husky-type dogs will serve time in jail after being sentenced in Bonner County Magistrate Court on Friday. Jacob M. McCowan, 45, and Jessica L. Smurthwaite, 31, were charged in late January with abandoning 31 dogs in southwestern Bonner County, parts of Kootenai County and in Pend Oreille County, Wash. Plea agreements were later reached with both in the case, dropping the number of charges against McCowan to 10 and the number of charges against Smurthwaite to two since the extent of her involvement could not be determined.