Arlington, WA: Woman's dog found brutally slain, boyfriend arrested

by Denise Whitaker

Originally printed at http://www.kval.com/news/local/90156417.html

ARLINGTON, Wash. -- A local man is behind bars, accused of an unconscionable act of animal cruelty against his girlfriend's dog.

Stephanie Swanson found her dog, Bucky, hanging dead inside a barn.

"Bucky was 80 pounds of pure love," said Swansons' daughter, Sarah Waggy. "He was brutally murdered."

A veterinarian at All Creatures Veterinary Services later determined Bucky died from blows to the head. Someone had also drilled holes into its body, the vet said.

Swanson said her boyfriend, Norm Sandretzky, called her last week and told her he killed the dog.

"He told me the dog no longer met his need, I didn't meet his needs and I'd be next," she said.

Swanson said she's lucky she was nowhere near Sandretzky at the time, and instead in Seattle with her daughter.

"He was depressed. Life was hard for him," she said.

Swanson said Sandretzky lost his job and his insurance and then last fall, was involved in a horrible car accident.

He used to take medication for depression, Swanson said, but began started self-medicating with alcohol after he lost his insurance and could no longer afford the drug.

Days after the accident, the man hit rock bottom, she said.

"He woke up in the morning and was hurting so bad. And I woke up and he was crying. And (he) tried to hand me his loaded revolver loaded gun, and told me to please shoot him and take the pain away," she said.

Swanson said at that point. she tried everything she could, to get her boyfriend help.

"Every treatment facility, with no insurance, refused. I called over 20," she said.

And even though she's loved Sandretzky for 17 years, Swanson believes Sandretsky "needs to be held accountable for what he did."

"It was not OK," she said. "It is not about whether I love him or I'm going to stay with him. I respect him as a human, and he deserves help."

Sandretzky is being held at the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of animal cruelty and felony domestic violence. Bail has been set at $500,000.