Animal Cruelty Arrest

On March 30th, 2023, at approximately 7:10 PM, staff at a local veterinarian’s office called the Chico Police Department to report a possible case of animal cruelty. The staff reported that three subjects had arrived at the business with a dog that appeared to be deceased. After an examination by the veterinarian staff, the dog was confirmed to be deceased. Veterinarian staff determined the dog died due to a severed carotid artery.

Officers contacted the involved subjects, who had transported the dog to the veterinarian’s office. One of the subjects, Elijah Doswell, of Chico, had told officers he was watching the dog, which belonged to a roommate. At one point, Doswell attempted to place the dog in a kennel located inside the apartment. The dog then retreated to a bedroom and hid under a bed. Doswell then used a broom handle to try to remove the dog from under the bed. While doing this, the end of the broom handle lodged in the throat of the dog. It was determined that this action by Doswell led to the fatal injuries to the dog.

Doswell was placed under arrest for Animal Cruelty and booked into the Butte County Jail.

The Chico Police Department takes allegations of animal cruelty very seriously. We understand that the animals in our community are often more than just pets and deserve to be protected.

Location: 1100 block of Magnolia Avenue

Suspect: Elijah Doswell, 19 years old, of Chico

Victim: –

Supervisor: Sgt. Mark Bass

Lieutenant: Lt. Jeff Durkin

The Chico Police Department is committed to ensuring our community is a safe place to live, work, and recreate within!