The Working Dogs of Nevada animal abuse case is heading back to Las Vegas Justice Court on June 24, more than two months after 35 dogs were seized from the facility and the two employees charged with felony animal cruelty were arrested.
Thirty-one of those dogs are still living under a legal hold at The Animal Foundation, unable to be adopted or permanently rehomed while the case moves through the courts.
Where the Case Stands
John Young Cotter Johnstone, a Scottish national who entered the United States on a visa waiver in 2021 and failed to leave by February 2022, faces four felony counts of willful and malicious torture of a dog.
His co-defendant, Tabitha Berube, faces one count under the same statute.
Johnstone has been in federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since late April, when Clark County honored an ICE detainer after his arrest.
Berube appeared virtually at the April 29 status check hearing and remains free on bond.
The Department of Homeland Security praised Clark County in early May for transferring Johnstone to federal custody.
His immigration detention adds a layer of uncertainty to how the criminal case will proceed.
31 Dogs Still Waiting
Four of the original 35 dogs have since been reclaimed by their owners, who had brought them to the facility for training. The remaining 31 are still at The Animal Foundation under a legal hold.
As we reported in May, these dogs cannot be adopted or rehomed until the case resolves, because many of them were client-owned animals rather than dogs belonging to the defendants.
That distinction complicates the application of Nevada statutes that would otherwise allow courts to expedite custody decisions before a verdict.
One dog, now called Sarge, was placed with a south Las Vegas trainer in early May and has been making progress.
His owner was able to arrange an alternative training placement; the other 31 have no similar path forward until the courts act.
What Will Happen on June 24
The June 24 appearance is a continued procedural step in the case.
Prosecutors indicated at the April 29 hearing that they were still reviewing the facts as they consider potential additional charges for both defendants.
How Johnstone’s ICE detention affects the criminal proceeding remains an open question.
If he is deported before the case concludes, it could significantly alter how the charges are pursued and whether the dogs in legal limbo can eventually be released, according to reporting by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
We will continue following the case as it develops. Readers who want to support the dogs at The Animal Foundation in the meantime can find volunteer and donation information at their website.
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