Detained in back of patrol car April 1, 2016. / photo from Lewis County Sheriff’s Office file
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Lewis County officials are contemplating a change in the law that would potentially offer one more chance for a 2-year-old pit bull terrier otherwise destined to be euthanized.
The tan and white dog was impounded last summer from its Winlock home, after it and its companion were accused of killing two neighbor goats and biting a pony’s face. Tank was declared a dangerous dog through a county administrative process and his owner didn’t follow through with meeting the stringent and costly requirements to continue to keep such a pet.
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer earlier this month informed the Board of County Commissioners he learned that instead of putting the dog down, the Lewis County Animal Shelter changed its name to Hank and adopted him to a new family, without disclosing his pertinent background.
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office investigated and retrieved Hank from his new home. Meyer said he would ask an outside prosecutor to investigate the actions of two county employees.
There is no provision under the county code to declassify a dangerous dog, according to Meyer.
But yesterday, the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office presented to the county commissioners a draft amendment to the code which would, if passed, allow any person claiming an interest in an animal designated as dangerous to seek an order from Lewis County District Court to erase the label of dangerous.
Currently the owner of a dog deemed dangerous may have an administrative hearing to dispute the claim and can appeal that to a hearings officer, according to Lewis County Civil Deputy Prosecutor David Fine.
“This amendment gives a third option,” Fine said.
As written, the rules indicate the court would evaluate the animal, using the same criteria as the administrative procedure has already used.
But the judge would be able to take into consideration new evidence including present behavior, character and disposition of the animal, according to Fine.
The rural Centralia woman who adopted Hank in January is pleased to hear there’s a possible reprieve for the dog she brought into her family.
“We’ve done everything right,” Jann Propp-Estimo said yesterday afternoon. “All I want is Hank back.”
Propp-Estimo said they visited the Lewis County Animal Shelter to find a companion for their dog Bruce. She had Hank microchipped before leaving the shelter, got him his rabies shots and made sure he got a physical, she said.
Soon it became apparent Bruce didn’t care for the newcomer.
Her grown son and 9-year-old grandson live in town, but have dinner at Propp-Estimo’s home daily, and were happy to move Hank into their household, she said. She hired a contractor to build a new fence for their Centralia yard.
“We loved that dog, he was the best dog,” she said. “He stole our hearts.”
On May 9, a Lewis County sheriff’s deputy visited the family, explained there was a legal issue and Hank should not have been adopted out, according to the deputy’s report. The pit bull terrier was returned to the animal shelter.
The investigative report into how it came about that the shelter adopted out a dog designated as dangerous indicates what Prosecutor Meyer has already said.
There was a feeling the dog wasn’t really dangerous and Shelter Manager Amy Hanson reached out to an animal group to see if they could find a suitable owner.
Hanson noted in emails and interviews staff saw no signs of aggression to people, other dogs, cats or even kittens.
“This dog is truly something special! Never jumps up on you, will sit politely when asked, shakes hands and loves his stuffed toys. You know how dogs can get when they have been in the shelter setting for even a few days, well Tank completely continues to be a polite sweet dog at all times,” Hanson wrote.
Lewis County Civil Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg, who is among the county’s civil lawyers who advise county departments, was asked by the humane officer, the health department and the shelter what the options were for the dog under county code and was researching potential changes to the code.
He went on family leave, returned to work and went on leave again, and then once he learned the dog had been adopted out, notified his supervisor, according to Eisenberg and the deputy’s report.
Lewis County Board of County Commissioners Chair Gary Stamper said yesterday, after commissioners were presented with the draft amendment to the code, the change potentially could save Hank.
“It still doesn’t solve everything, but it moves it to the next level,” Stamper said.
The item titled,”Judicial removal of dangerous animal designation” will appear on the commissioner’s Monday morning meeting agenda. A public hearing will be set to discuss the matter.
Propp-Estimo said she has hired Bellingham animal lawyer Adam Karp, and has already reached out to the dog’s first owner and even the owner of the goats to learn more about the issue with livestock.
He was just a year old when that happened, and some blame his mother, a pit bull terrier named Sadie who was said to have been moved to another state, for instigating the attack, she said.
“Poor Hank, got left hanging out to dry,” she said.
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For background, read “Prosecutor: Lewis County employees broke rules regarding seized dog” from Thursday May 18, 2017, here
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