By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CENTRALIA – Besides getting a $250 citation for dog at large, the owner of a dog that attacked a neighbor cat on Ham Hill Road late last month has been informed his pet is now designated a potentially dangerous dog.
Police were called when a resident awoke to dogs barking and found her young Siamese outside in the mouth of one of a pair of strange dogs behind her house.
Bailey and Roscoe
Cheryl Oakley chased them away and when daylight came, found her older tabby cat dead across the road.
An officer who responded to the 3:15 a.m. call on July 30 found two dogs on the next block heading back through an open gate on their property. They matched the description Oakley gave, according to the Centralia police report.
Bailey, a 9-month-old Siamese kitty spent three days at the veterinary clinic being treated for wounds.
The felines were indoor cats, but apparently pushed out the screen of an open window.
The dog owner, Felipe Loa-Vargas, told police he does what he can to keep them on his Yakima Street property, but they sometimes jump out of their kennel, according to the report. Loa-Vargas said he usually keeps the gate in front closed, but his wife may have left it open when she left for work, the report noted.
Had anyone witnessed one of the dogs killing the tabby, that dog likely would have been impounded and deemed a dangerous dog, a designation that puts heavy restrictions on such an animal, according to officer Boe Wohld, the city’s special services officer.
Instead, a notice was sent to the dog owner his dog is now a potentially dangerous dog.
One of the dogs is described in the police report as a chocolate-colored lab-type dog. The other is described as a Pit Bull with white on its chest. Wohld said they look related to each other.
Wohld said he wasn’t sure which dog got in trouble for attacking the Siamese. A copy of the notice sent to Loa-Vargas wasn’t immediately available.
The label of potentially dangerous is appealable.
If the dog is caught roaming again, it may be impounded, according to city code. If it bites again, it can be declared dangerous.
Among the requirements for a dangerous dog, according to Centralia’s code, are being kept in an enclosure with a secure top, proof of $250,000 special liability insurance and in some cases having to wear a muzzle when taken for walks.
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For background, read “Dogs that kill” from Saturday Aug. 4, 2012, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Has Bill Bates been labeled as a Dangerous Animal? He is a threat to neighbors pets, since he’s an admitted cat killer. Why can’t Bill Bates be labeled as dangerous to animals. If a dog can be labeled dangerous to Humans then surely a City Council member and Pastor should have the same label if he kills inocent pets in Centralia.
Fair is Fair. Dangerous Dog, Dangerous Human Cat Killer!
it says “dangerous dog”.
The cat being across the road doesn’t mean that it went over there on it’s own, the dogs could have taken it there.
Dangerous Dog, not Breed.
The fact that the cats were not in their yard. As stated in the article they were “accross the road”. This means that they weren’t on their property. Would this have made the paper if they had died by radial-poisoning (ran over)? No I don’t think so. It’s over and done, move on. Even better go to the animal shelter and adopt a cat in need…..just please be responsible and check your screens first. Safety check your house for your pet just like you’d do for your kid.
I have read through all three articles, but I still cannot find dangerous “Breed”, only “Dog”. There was both a lab mix and a pit-bull looking mix, but not one was singled out as THE problem.
Sharyn, could you please clarify? Breed or dog? Thanks!
Is it a “Dangerous Breed” issue or “Dangerous Dog” issue?
I sure thought that this county fought long and hard to clear the breeds and go after dangerous ANIMALS. Do you know how many exotic pets live in this area? Did you know that a few years back, it was proposed that if you have an exotic animal (whether it be dog, cat, monkey, rat-things, etc.) – you had to provide the county with exact specifications on your home’s layout, including where the animal is inside your home, what kind of cage it is in, and how you lock it so that it cannot escape? And this was to be kept “Safe” with the county! Bunch of bs to me – might as well let them know where all the “dangerous weapons” are kept, along with the key code!
And since I have friends in that area, I am thankful to know that if their kids go walking down the road, that the dogs already have a history and the family will stay alert or away from the dogs.
Maybe it was only a cat issue, but it seems like both parties “met in the middle” and the cats lost. Should we hold both parties responsible? Or just the ones that caused damage?
As a responsible pet owner, it is my job to keep my pets safe. Just like kids, I can’t do too much when they escape in the middle of the night, but I can accept the responsibility when/if they do wrong.
And just because it’s a cat doesn’t mean that it’s not important – shame on those who say “who cares”. It’s still a pet to someone, and just like all possessions, it could have a lot of financial or sentimental value.
I would like to hire this cat-killer named Bill Bates. Are his fees reasonable? I have a few cats that don’t belong to me coming around and crapping in my flower beds, chasing the beautiful birds that seek sanctuary in my yard, and basically just making the place a pig sty!!!
I would kill them myself, but I don’t have the stomach for it. Bill Bates sounds like the kind of person who can get the job done professionally.
Yeah, how dare those people allow their cats out into their own yard. No wonder the dog killed one of them…it was the cat’s fault for leaping into the dog’s mouth. Stupid animal.
Just maybe the cat owner needs to accept resposibility for having “escape cats”. Quit labeling the breeds of the dogs as dangerous. If this is what is making the news these days,people need to get a life.
As most things it all comes down to money….. BS
Maybe the City can call Bill Bates, he’s pretty good at killing animals with his pellet gun, he aims for the feet and gets a Kill every time.