COWLITZ COUNTY, Wash. (KPTV) – You may remember Trooper, the lovable golden retriever who survived being shot in the head last fall and left in a ditch with duct tape on his muzzle. It happened in early November on Spirit Lake Highway.
On Monday, Jessica Schmidt, accused of the crime, appeared in the courtroom at the Cowlitz County Jail to change her plea from not guilty to guilty.
The judge moved the official date for the change of plea to Tuesday morning, 9:00 a.m.
Dylan Shulda is a utility worker with Cowlitz PUD and was part of the crew that originally found Trooper. He and his wife Shelly eventually adopted the dog and Fox 12 caught up with the family last December to find out how their new family member is settling into his new home.
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Fox 12 met with them again on Monday to find out how he’s been doing since then.
“When we brought him home, we weren’t sure what kind of dog we were getting,” Shelly said. “Would he have behavioral issues, would he bite or bark? So it took us some time to get to know him. He’s just a lover, he’s been a lover since day one.”
Since then, the bullet has been removed from his jaw and he has regained his strength. Aside from a slightly droopy right eye, he has suffered no major long-term effects.
Still, the Shuldas say it has been a long road to justice.
“I was surprised at first that she pleaded not guilty. I don’t really know how the court system works, but there seemed to be so much evidence against her that it was hard to believe she would plead not guilty,” Dylan said. “I’m not sure what made her change her mind, but we’re glad she did.”
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Their focus now is on giving Trooper the best life possible. This summer they took him and their two other dogs on their boat and on several camping trips.
They said his story has already inspired others to adopt and they hope to close this painful chapter soon.
“We’re definitely looking for closure, just ready to live our lives and have fun with our dog,” Dylan said. “Anyone who can do this to an animal is obviously battling demons, and so we hope this is the wake-up call she needs.”
“It made us very sad when Dylan found him and the condition he was in and that someone would do something like that,” Shelly said. “We still forgive her and we’re extending her that grace so that hopefully she can be restored and made whole and get the help she needs.”
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