Couple Boarded Dog While Welcoming Their 1st Baby — Then Doggy Daycare Worker Allegedly Beat Animal to Death By Sean Neumann 57

A Seattle couple is grieving the “earth-shattering” death of their 6-year-old dog Mitch, who authorities allege was beaten to death by a kennel employee who became irate with the dog after the animal knocked something over in early August.

Neela and Anthony Brocato told local KOMO News that their dog’s death was “tough to relive” after the couple attended the arraignment for Dejean Bowens, their dog’s alleged attacker, as he made his first court appearance on Monday, Oct. 13.

Bowens, 20, was arrested in late September and charged with first-degree animal cruelty — a charge KOMO reported can carry up to five years in prison. Currently under house arrest while awaiting trial, Bowens pleaded not guilty on Monday, according to KOMO, as well as local outlets KING 5 and Fox 13.

Bowens is due back in court in November with a possible trial date set for Dec. 24, according to King County Superior Court records reviewed by PEOPLE.

King County prosecutors alleged in court that security footage provided by the Lazy Dog, Crazy Dog daycare showed Bowens punching and kicking Mitch, a black Labrador retriever, as the dog tried to cower under a table, according to King 5.

Prosecutors alleged that Bowens waited nearly an hour before taking the dog to an emergency vet, where medical staff performed CPR for 20 minutes before the dog was declared dead, according to the outlet.

The Brocatos told KOMO they boarded Mitch at the kennel while Neela was giving birth to their first child in early August. “We were just so looking forward to him meeting his baby sister who was born just three days before he was kicked to death,” Neela told the outlet this week. “So that was such a thing that I was looking forward to, and I do feel like it robbed us a lot of the joy that we should have experienced those first couple days and weeks after our daughter was born.”

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Neela told KOMO that it “was incredibly hard” for her and her husband to see Bowens in court. “But justice for Mitch is most important,” the new mother said.

She told the outlet Mitch was “the sweetest, most loving dog and just creature that brought joy to everyone’s lives and everyone he touched.” 

“This just senseless act of violence has just been earth-shattering for us,” Neela added.

The Brocatos also told KOMO News they plan to file a lawsuit against the Lazy Dog, Crazy Dog daycare. PEOPLE reached out to the daycare for comment but did not immediately receive a response on Thursday, Oct. 16.

The Seattle-based kennel denied interviews with other media outlets this week but shared a statement on Facebook, stating that Bowens “was terminated immediately” after owners found out about the Aug. 3 incident.

“We are heartbroken and outraged by what happened,” the daycare’s statement read.