Former spouse of accused dog killer testifies he was jealous of attention she gave animals

The Calgary man accused of fatally beating his girlfriend's two dogs was jealous of the attention she gave the animals, according to the woman's testimony Tuesday.

Joanna Smithcried through much of her testimony onDay 2 of John Geick's animal abuse trial.

In February 2019, SmithandGeick, now 39, lived together with their infant son in Calgary's southwest.

At the time, Smith had two dogs:a six-year-old basset hound named Sophie and a five-year-old Chihuahuanamed Tyler.

Necropsies done on both dogs showed theydied from severe trauma multiple blunt force injuries so severe, Sophie would have died within minutes, Tyler within hours.

Geick, said Smith,oscillated between being strict and loving toward the dogs.She said Geick wasjealous of the attention she would give their son and the dogs.

• Trial begins for Calgary man accused in fatal beating of 2 dogs

Smith, 36, told prosecutor Rosalind Greenwood that after her second dog died in a three-day span, she went into her garage and found a bloody towel, a mallet and electrical tape caked in dog hair.

Geick had tearfully told her earlier that he had harmed the two animals.

Smith testified she was woken up the morning of Feb. 15, 2019, to Geick telling her something was wrong with Sophie. He said she wasn't breathing properly and didn't want to go outside.

When she checked on Sophie, the dog was dead.

The couple wrapped Sophie in a blanket and took her to the veterinary hospital, where they planned to cremate the animal.

Two mornings later, Geick woke up Smith again. This time, he said Tyler, theChihuahua, was "acting depressed" because he missed Sophie.

Smith found Tyler downstairs wrapped in a blanket, shaking with laboured breathing. She saidshe placed him on the floor and he "toppled" over.

'It didn't make sense'

Ultimately, after consulting with the vet, the dog was in such grave shape, he was euthanized.

Smith said she confronted Geick about what happened to Tyler while they were at the veterinaryhospital but he got defensive.

"He said I was awful for even thinking that," said Smith.

That night, Smith's suspicions got the better of her and she called the animal hospital asking that the Calgary Humane Society investigate the two dogs' deaths.

"It didn't make sense," said Smith. "It made me thinkthat John had done this."

'I asked if he hurt them'

Days later, knowing an investigation was underway, Smith again confronted Geick.

"I said I loved him and I needed to know what happened," said Smith. "I asked if hehurt them I knew he was really stressed at that time."

"He started crying he nodded as he was crying."

Smith said she asked more specifically if Geick had kicked the dogs and he nodded.

Police arrived shortly after and took Geick into custody under a mental health warrant after he told them he'd had suicidal thoughts.

Previous incidents

In an interview with police after his arrest, Geick admitted to physically harming the dogs and using electrical tape to muzzle them but downplayed the degree to which he harmed the animals, according to the prosecutor's opening statement.

In cross-examination, Smith told defence lawyerEfrayim Moldofsky that Geick could be emotionally abusive and controlling.

Smith that saidafter two previous incidents with Geickone where he brought Sophie home with bruises on her belly and another where he dragged Sophie upstairs by a choke chainshe "had concerns."

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Bernette Ho is presiding over the six-day trial.