Clallam County declares state of emergency for dangerous animals

Sheriff’s office seeks solution for vicious dogs

PORT ANGELES — Clallam County has declared a state of emergency related to the impoundment of dangerous animals.

Undersheriff Lorraine Shore told the three commissioners during their Monday work session that, during the past week and a half, the sheriff’s office has received five vicious animal calls.

“We’ve been able to address it, but just by the skin of our teeth,” Shore said.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

By declaring a state of emergency on Tuesday, the county authorized the approval of any contracts necessary to address the situation. Contracts can be signed by board chair Mike French, a board majority or the county administrator and do not have to be brought to an open public meeting.

County administrator Todd Mielke said state law and county code require the county to confiscate and impound dangerous animals or animals that may be infected with rabies. Any animals they seize must be quarantined for 10 days.

The county also provides shelter for “just the general community circumstances where we encounter stray or lost animals,” Mielke said.

Previously, the sheriff’s office took dangerous dogs to the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society’s Bark House. The Bark House provided at least 20 dog kennels and an isolation room for dangerous dogs or those that might have rabies.

With the Bark House’s impending closure, there is no longer a place to take these dogs.

For the vicious animal calls they’ve received so far, the sheriff’s office has been able to find temporary locations or alternative solutions that typically involve the owners. However, they are quickly running out of nearby places where they can house these dogs.

“If we had one more, I don’t know what we’d do,” Commissioner Randy Johnson said during the commissioners’ regular meeting on Tuesday.

“We find ourselves in a situation where I think we need to act rapidly,” Mielke said.

Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Dee Boughton said the county could go through the regular bidding process to find a contractor to deal with these animals. However, that process would be lengthy.

“Time is of the essence,” Boughton said.

To address these circumstances, the county passed a resolution establishing the state of emergency.

“For circumstances beyond the control of Clallam County, the county currently has no kennel facilities available to hold confiscated and impounded animals, and therefore cannot fulfill its responsibilities under state statute and county code,” the county resolution read.

“Failure to act immediately to resolve this issue will likely result in bodily injury or loss of life to either people or animals,” it stated.

This state of emergency is allowing the county greater flexibility to find a short-term solution.

“This should allow us the ability to explore options quickly,” Mielke said.

Representatives from the sheriff’s office said they are exploring solutions and a lengthy contracting period “gets in the way of exploring those solutions most exponentially.”

“We look forward to solutions as they come,” French said.

________

Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Heath Wade, 5, leads the goat parade to open the 37th annual Port Townsend Farmers Market on Saturday in the uptown neighborhood. Behind are goat wranglers Lindsey Kotzebue and Amber Langley of Port Townsend. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Market opens

Heath Wade, 5, leads the goat parade to open the 37th annual… Continue reading

Kelly Kidwell, a local business owner and property developer, is purchasing Rite Bros. with the intention of building a long-term sustainable business that will expand aviation access in the area. Citizen Air, based at William R. Fairchild International Airport, will offer charter flights and fractional aircraft ownership. The possibility of scheduled flights could be in the distant future. Kidwell is shown with his Poodle-Bernese mountain dog, Porter. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Citizen Air aims to expand access

New Rite Bros. owner planning for growth

Health officer: Disease numbers low, but cuts affecting programs

Additional measles case located in Washington state

Customers check out at The Pine and Eight, a local goods-only grocery store co-owned by SisterLand Farms and Northwest Beach Work. This store, which recently opened at 511 W. Eighth St. in Port Angeles, is an experiment testing out the viability of a farmer- and artisan-owned store selling Washington-only products. (Eli Smith)
Farmer-focused grocery store opens in Port Angeles

Business prioritizing local products, relationships

Garage destroyed in Lower Elwha structure fire

A weekend structure fire resulted in the total loss… Continue reading

Ground-breaking ceremony for new school set Saturday

The Port Angeles School District will break ground for… Continue reading

A portion of the crowd at the Hands Off rally, which started at the intersection of Laurel and First Street. An estimated 800 to 1,000 people attended in Port Angeles. (Dave Logan/For Peninsula Daily News)
Hands Off! protests on Peninsula

A portion of the crowd at the Hands Off rally, which started… Continue reading

Kathy Cruz/Olympic Peninsula News Group
Susan Fisch, standing, chair of the Clallam County Charter Review Commission, addresses a crowd of residents who packed the meeting room at KSQM FM (91.5) last month for the first of several town hall events. Speakers were allowed up to three minutes to share their views about issues related to the charter that they consider most important.
Charter meeting draws crowd

Open house set tonight in Joyce

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft… Continue reading

Margo Karler of Port Townsend looks up at the plaster covers protecting a tusk that was found by hikers on the beach near the Point Wilson lighthouse in March. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Fossil found in sandstone bluff at Fort Worden

State Parks, Burke museum developing plan for preservation