The Lewis County Prosecutor's Office has charged a Cinebar resident accused of having sex with two malamute dogs under a relatively new aspect of the state's animal cruelty law. The charges were filed Monday in Lewis County Superior Court in Chehalis. The 21-year-old unemployed man allegedly engaged in sex with the dogs in October. He denies it. No violence is alleged in this case. Elected Prosecutor Michael Golden said the Legislature modified the animal cruelty statute about two years ago to include sexual contact with animals. The change followed a case in Enumclaw in which a man died of injuries when he had sex with a horse. "Previously you had to show harm to the animal," Golden said on Monday afternoon. Troy B. Whitson, 21, is charged with two counts of first-degree animal cruelty, a felony with a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A summons was issued Monday for Whitson to appear in court later this month. The Lewis County case comes from claims made by a couple Whitson met at a "furry" convention in Bellingham, according to charging papers. The gathering was for people who enjoy dressing up in animal costumes, and their admirers, according to charging papers. The couple, identified in the charging papers without their full names or hometown, were interviewed by a Lewis County Sheriff's Office deputy in December. The charging papers allege the following account: In October the woman spent the night with Whitson in Cinebar, but called her husband and asked him to come over because she was uncomfortable. Both said they saw Whitson engaged in sex with the female malamute, "Ruby," and the younger male malamute, "Torque." Sheriff's Deputy Alan Stull said Whitson was interviewed and admitted the male dog "mounted him after he removed his pants and underwear," charging documents allege. Whitson, who lives on his parent's property in rural East Lewis County, was stunned on Monday night when he learned of the charges. He called it a "marital sit," explaining he meant the young couple were in a dispute and the male half was angry because the female developed a relationship with Whitson. "I've never even been to Bellingham," he said after looking at the charging documents. He is involved in the "furry" world and did meet the pair that way, he said. Whitson said the conventions are for people who appreciate the art of anthropomorphic animals, where some dress up in elaborate animal costumes. He's well known in the "furry" realm for his wolf persona, he said. "She's crazy," Whitson said. "There's been nothing but drama since I met her." The two malamutes are family pets who live at the Cinebar residence. The case comes on the heels of an Oregon couple's sentencing last month for misdemeanor sexual abuse of an animal, in what the prosecutor thought was the first time anyone in Oregon had been fully prosecuted under its law. Prosecutors said the pair sold videotapes of themselves with their German Shepherd mix to a company in Amsterdam, according to The Associated Press. Their dog had to be euthanized, because, authorities said, it couldn't be placed in another home given the way it had learned to interact with humans, according to The Associated Press. Golden said he had no intention of having Whitson's dogs destroyed. This is the first time his office has charged anyone under the newly modified Washington law. He acknowledged his charges did not allege violence to the dogs, but said they don't need to. Golden said the law is in place because "animals are in our care. This is not why they are in our care." "Frankly," Golden said, "I think the Legislature should have just called it bestiality, because it causes confusion." Sharyn L. Decker: (360) 807-8235
