Sacramento County DA announces sentences for two separate dog-related felonies

The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday two men had been sentenced in separate animal-related felonies.

Jackie Ray Burke was sentenced to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to a felony charge of causing serious injury to a police canine. Burke had led police on a vehicle pursuit on May 19, 2018, when officers prepared to deploy non-lethal means of apprehension.

Burke exited the vehicle with a knife behind his back and deputies from Sacramento County deployed K-9 officer Jedi, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. Burke then stabbed the dog in the face and Jedi was rushed to an emergency veterinary hospital with a laceration to his left eye area.

Burke was apprehended by officers after a brief struggle. Officers later determined that the man was under the influence of methamphetamine during the altercation.

Jedi’s lacerated eyelid was repaired with surgery and has since healed along with a minor corneal laceration. The K-9 officer is back with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

Burke’s sentence was enhanced due to a previous conviction.

In a unrelated dog-related incident, Jose Vaca pled to a felony charge of animal neglect on Sept. 18, with a sentence Friday prohibiting him from owning, possessing, residing with, maintaining or caring for animals for 10 years, the District Attorney’s Office said.

On Nov. 6, 2019, Folsom Animal Control seized five dogs from Vaca’s residence, where they said he ran a bully breeding operation. Bullys, which are also known as pocket pits, are bred for their extremely stout appearance, rather than for aggression. Several of Vaca’s canines were bred.

The District Attorney’s Office said that owners and breeders compete in ‘bully shows,’ producing dogs with the largest heads, shortest and most muscular limbs that stand low to the ground and widest chests. The unnatural traits for the breed cause conditions of inbreeding including angular limb deformities, dry eye requiring lifetime lubricants, elongated soft palates requiring surgery, cleft plate and heart murmurs.

While breeding the dogs for the desirable physical traits is not illegal, failure to provide needed medical care for painful deformities constitutes animal abuse in California. Dogs in Vaca’s care suffered from some of the common painful deformities and lacked proper medical treatment. Serious medical conditions were untreated.

One dog seized by Folsom Animal Control was missing most of a rear foot due to a traumatic, non-healing, self-inflicted amputation. The remainder of the leg was infected and the dog was not treated with painkillers, antibiotics or veterinary help until further surgical amputation was completed following its rescue.