A Thurston man’s bail was set at $100,000 on Monday after facing accusations of multiple counts of domestic violence and animal cruelty. Donovan J. McKinlay, has been charged with burglary while armed, assault while armed, felony harassment while armed and first degree animal cruelty while armed.
According to The Olympian, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance report on Friday after a woman stated she had refused to allow her ex-boyfriend to sleep in a camper at her home. McKinlay allegedly broke the window of the camper with a bat and once inside grabbed the woman’s kitten and squeezed until it cried in pain. He then threw the kitten to the floor repeated times.
McKinlay is also accused of choking the woman and holding a knife to her throat threatening to kill her. When police arrived, McKinlay fled. He was later apprehended and arrested.
The kitten was rushed to an emergency veterinarian where it showed signs of trauma, internal injuries and fluid in her lungs. She was placed on oxygen. Her prognosis is unknown.
Research evidence backs up the finding that there is a direct link between acts of cruelty to animals and violence toward humans. This includes child abuse, domestic violence, elder abuse and other violent behavior.
This finding is in line with other research showing that domestic violence toward pets both correlates with domestic violence toward humans, and is also a tool of domestic abuse — violent members of the household will threaten to hurt or actually hurt a companion animal as a method of control and a form of emotional violence. Indeed, more than half of women in domestic violence shelters report that they delayed their escape out of fear for their animals,” reports the ALDF.
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