12/13/2019
A Missoula man on Thursday pleaded guilty to illegally setting a trap that killed a family’s dog earlier this month, telling the judge he wanted to take responsibility rather than fight the charge.
Jaymz Antonio Partida, Sr., pleaded guilty at his initial appearance in Missoula County Justice Court. Partida was charged Dec. 1 by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks with setting traps without tags and not properly setting a conibear trap.
Partida, 45, and his nephew, Michael Bruno, are both facing citations in Missoula Municipal Court for trapping in city limits, which falls under the cruelty to animals section of Missoula’s city code.
Partida said he was foregoing his right to an attorney and a trial in the Justice Court case because he wanted to take responsibility for killing the dog.
“I just want to be accountable for what I did, your honor,” he told Missoula County Justice of the Peace Landee Holloway.
On Dec. 1, FWP game wardens responded to the area near the Clark Fork River and Hiberta Street for a report of a dog caught in a trap. The wardens found four traps, the conibear trap and three footholds, all of which were quickly tied to Partida and Bruno, according to FWP; only Partida was cited by FWP.
After the hearing, Partida told the Missoulian the incident was his first time trapping, and that he and Bruno tried taking measures to avoid an accident, such as setting the traps away from areas with any footprints and setting orange ribbons in the trees above the traps.
“My kids love animals, I love animals,” he said. “It wasn’t intentional.”
The response from the community has been looming over Partida since, he said. He said he no longer responds to Facebook messages he’s received over the last week since news broke of the dog’s death. Court staff this week said they have received more than 30 calls from community members hoping to include their input in the case.
“I wouldn’t hurt a dog,” he said. “I just wouldn’t.”