Battle Ground, WA – On March 7, police arrested 35-year-old Andre Terwilleger, who neglected nine dogs, causing five to die from severe malnutrition. The authorities had been searching for Terwilleger since the grim discovery of the dead and starving dogs at a residence in the 2100 block of SW 5th Street in Battle Ground in November 2024.
The dogs had been abandoned and by the time they were discovered, five had passed away and four remaining dogs were found in a severely malnourished state and in need of urgent medical attention.
In a news release, the authorities said:
After months of investigative work, detectives gathered sufficient evidence to establish that seven counts of Animal Cruelty in the First Degree -Death and two counts of Animal Cruelty in the Second Degree – Owner Fail to Provide, had been committed in this case. Detectives identified Andre Terwilleger, 35 years of age and a former tenant of the residence, as the individual responsible for the care of the dogs. Charges were forwarded to the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office.
On March 6, 2025, the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for Terwilleger’s arrest on the aforementioned charges.
The authorities reached out to the public to help find Terwilleger and he was quickly found thanks to the public’s response. The authorities said:
Thanks to tips received from the public and the swift action of our partners at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, Andre Terwilleger, was located and taken into custody without incident, just hours after the case was posted on social media.
The power of information sharing and community partnerships cannot be overstated. Immediately after the Battle Ground Police Department reached out to the public for assistance in locating a wanted suspect in this animal cruelty case, the post received over 1,000 social media shares and tips began pouring in from the public.
Battle Ground Police Chief Dennis Flynn thanked the public for their help:
“We are truly humbled by the overwhelming support we received on this heartbreaking case. The community’s vigilance and dedication to making our city a safe and compassionate place does not go unnoticed. Together, we can continue to work towards making Battle Ground a safer, stronger community to live, work, and thrive.”
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