Grand Traverse man arraigned after dog stabbed multiple times in Traverse City
A Traverse City dog survived emergency surgery after police said a 19-year-old stabbed it multiple times and left it in the woods. He was arraigned on a felony animal torture charge.
A 19-year-old Grand Traverse County man was arraigned Monday on a felony animal killing/torturing charge after Traverse City police said he stabbed a dog multiple times, wrapped it in a towel and left it in a wooded area off Fitzhugh Drive.
Police identified the defendant as Zachary Beckham. He was held on 10% of a $25,000 bond and remained in jail because of a probation violation hearing tied to a domestic violence case. His preliminary exam is scheduled for May 22.
Traverse City police said officers were called Friday, May 1, after an anonymous tip reported a man abusing a dog on Fitzhugh Drive. When officers arrived, Beckham told them the dog came at him in an aggressive manner and said he used a pocketknife. Police said they did not see signs that he had been bitten.
The case escalated from there. Officers believe Beckham wrapped the dog in a towel, carried it into a wooded area, stabbed it multiple additional times and left it there. Police said Beckham admitted to stabbing the dog and led officers to where he had taken it. Animal control and Bay Area Pet Hospital were called in, and the dog underwent emergency surgery. The dog was expected to recover.
Michigan’s felony animal-cruelty statute, MCL 750.50b, makes it a crime to knowingly kill or torture an animal, and it also covers reckless acts that should be known to cause that result. The charge filed against Beckham fits a law aimed at severe animal harm, not routine neglect.
Grand Traverse County Animal Control handles animal welfare checks, stray pickups, dog licensing, kennel inspections and adoptions, and it works with local rescues and Cherryland Humane Society when cases require shelter or custody decisions. In a county where animal cruelty cases have already drawn public attention, the Beckham case is likely to renew scrutiny of how quickly agencies respond when a pet’s safety turns into a criminal matter.
Beckham’s mother, who owns the dog, reportedly told him to end the dog’s misery. Even with the dog expected to survive, the allegations describe a violent episode that now sits squarely before the court system, where the next major step will come at the May 22 preliminary exam.
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