Moses Lake denies extra pet request

Woman plans to appeal decision

MOSES LAKE - Rebecca Temple will continue her appeal to the Moses Lake City Council about an ordinance violation concerning pet ownership.

At a previous council meeting, Temple asked the council to allow her to continue ownership of her four dogs at her Virginia Street home.

A city ordinance allows up to three pets per residence. A fourth pet can be granted by the city council if it is determined to be a comfort dog for a person deemed disabled by the council.

One person was successfully granted a fourth dog after the council created the exception to the three-pet limit.

Temple has two large dogs and two small dogs at her residence. No one filed a complaint against her for the additional dog. The fourth dog was discovered by a code enforcement officer who was responding to the Temple residence for a separate issue.

At the previous council meeting, she told the council all the dogs provide her with comfort and she did not want to get rid of one of them because she thinks of them as her children. She said she

is disabled but can still work. Temple said she only has a few more years left in her working career due to her disability.

She has Rheumatoid Arthritis, diabetes and two titanium hips. One of the dogs helps her stand up and they alert her to intruders.

Temple works in the Tri-Cities area Monday through Friday and is in Moses Lake on the weekends the majority of the time. She takes one of the small dogs with her to Tri-Cities and stays with a friend.

She said the majority of the week, the dog she travels with is not in Moses Lake.

During the Tuesday night meeting, she told the council she read the ordinance concerning pet ownership and could not find a clear definition of disability, comfort dog and who makes the determination of those who qualify.

"I do believe it would cause me great detriment to take them away from me," she said.

Councilmember Richard Pearce motioned to deny her request to keep the animal. Councilmember Dick Deane seconded.

Pearce said he did not think Temple qualified for the fourth dog.

"I don't come up with the feeling at all that Mrs. Temple falls into the definition we had in mind for someone in need of a comfort dog," he said. "After looking at these dogs and after reading the notes from the neighbors, I'm not sure these dogs would (fall under) the definition we had in mind for comfort dog. I just don't think it's appropriate, I don't think her dogs, according to her neighbors, are well taken care of, I don't think she treats them like her children, according to these notes."

Pearce was referring to four letters written to the city council from people living near Temple.

The letters signed by Arthur Eakins, Al Waldeman, Sharon Slyter and Jesse and Leora Black, indicated the dogs barked a lot and leave fecal matter in the yard.

Before council completed their vote, Temple stepped to the podium to speak. Mayor Ron Covey denied her request to speak stating she already had her chance.

Council voted and the motion passed unanimously.

After the council meeting, Temple told the Columbia Basin Herald she did not know about the letters the council referred to during the meeting and wanted a chance to read them and respond before the council.

Temple said she sent a request to city hall requesting the letters so she can review them. She contacted the American Disability Association and legal counsel for assistance in understanding the ordinance and keeping all her animals.

"We are definitely going to fight," she said. "I was not happy with the outcome and how I was talked to."

City Manager Joe Gavinski said the city will continue enforcement action.