Falls man accused of stabbing dog. Here's what he says happened

A Falls Township man who alleges he was attempting to teach his dog not to fear knives is accused of stabbing another dog that apparently was attempting to protect the animal.

Dashawn Journigan, 32, was arraigned earlier this month on a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals. He is free on unsecured bail.

Attorney Matthew Scott Brittenburg maintains that his client did not intentionally hurt the dog, which is recovering from its injuries.

“Mr. Journigan is a law-abiding citizen who maintains his innocence. This deeply regrettable incident was accidental,” Brittenburg said. “He is an animal lover with a deep affection for his pets.”

The Pennsylvania SPCA opened an investigation last October after the owner of the injured dog, a 2-year-old boxer mix named “Goku,” sought advice on social media.

She said the dog was stabbed “by accident” and needed expensive surgery that she could not afford; she was looking for rescues she could surrender the dog to, as a last resort, according to a probable cause affidavit.

A PSPCA humane society officer obtained medical records from the emergency hospital where the dog was treated, which stated the dog had been stabbed with a “medieval knife” while he was being played with, the affidavit said.

The veterinarian identified a penetrating wound over the dog’s abdomen, and additional tests suggested it possibly penetrated the organ. The hospital suggested additional surgery but the owner declined, the affidavit said.

The humane officer accompanied by Falls police questioned the woman who initially said she did not want to press charges or identify the person who hurt her dog, claiming it was an accident, the affidavit said.

The owner eventually told authorities Journigan stabbed the dog while he was playing rough with him, but denied he was trying to hurt “Goku.” The owner told police he was trying to scare the dog with the knife because he thought it was funny.

“Goku” and another dog, a 3-year-old pit bull terrier, belonging to Journigan were housed in the same crate, the affidavit said.

The owner told police she told Journigan to stop, which he did, but she didn’t immediately realize that Goku was injured. When she noticed blood in the crate she initially thought the dog scratched himself, until she saw the gash in his side, the affidavit said.

Her screams brought Journigan back into the room, where he allegedly said he didn’t realize he stabbed the dog and apologized.

Authorities retrieved the alleged weapon, a large kitchen knife, from the dishwasher, the affidavit said.

When authorities interviewed Journigan later, he repeated the claim that the stabbing was an accident.

He said he was running the knife over the cage bars to train his dog not to be afraid of knives, the affidavit said. But Goku began jumping around the crate and knocking his dog out of the way, and attempting to get at Journigan through the cage, the affidavit said.

After the other dog owner yelled at him to stop, Journigan said he went back to work on his computer. About 30 to 45 minutes later, his owner yelled that Goku was bleeding, the affidavit said.

Journigan told authorities he initially thought Goku’s owner was overreacting, and suggested closing the wound with super glue or sewing it shut, the affidavit said.

But later he acknowledged that his actions were “a “complete lapse of judgment on his part and it was stupid,” the affidavit said.

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Falls man charged with stabbing dog