Moses Lake discusses excessive cats
City does not see any progress
MOSES LAKE - During a Tuesday night meeting, Moses Lake city staff said they checked on the progress of the resident who is to find alternative homes for his excessive number of cats.
City Manager Joe Gavinski said the city gave citizen Brian Healy an extension to vacate 26 of his 29 cats from his South Jefferson Avenue home. He said when he contacted Healy's residence to check on the animal removal progress, he was told to speak to Healy's lawyer about the issue.
City staff advised they will speak with Healy's legal council after Jan. 17 if 26 of the felines are not removed.
The maximum number of pets allowed by residents within the city of Moses Lake is three. One additional "comfort animal" is allowed depending on several circumstances including the health state of the pet owner, age and how the person came into possession of the fourth animal.
Healy is not eligible for the additional animal.
The issue regarding the number of animals in Healy's possession was brought before council following a citizen complaint. He was issued a notice to remove the cats Nov. 21. Healy was given nearly two months to remove the extra animals. His new deadline is Jan. 17.
At a previous council meeting, council granted Healy an extension of more than three weeks to find homes for the animals.
At the previous meeting, Healy said he has considered advertising the 26 felines for adoption but feared they would not go to safe homes. He said he and his wife considered having the animals cremated. Healy said he thought about taking them to Grant County Animal Outreach but worried the cats would be sent to Washington State University (WSU) for animal research and testing.
Outreach later confirmed the comment made by Healy was false.
Mayor Ron Covey said he felt like the council "bent over backwards" to accommodate Healy's situation.
Council discussed allowing additional time for Healy on top of the granted extension if adequate progress was made with relocating the cats.
"We're not going to please them all," councilmember Jim Liebrecht said. "I hope we can stick to our guns."
Councilmember Richard Pearce said there are citizens who appear to support the council's decision to limit the number of animals per residence.
He said three of the five people polled in the Basin Banter segment of the Monday edition of the Columbia Basin Herald agreed there should be a limit on the number of pets and two people thought more than one pet would be too many. One person polled in the survey said it depends on what type of pets while one person said a limit is necessary but felt three was too low.
Pearce said when citizens have three pets or less per household there are hardly any animal complaint calls. The higher the number, the higher the complaints, he said.
Pearce said Healy seems to love his cats but he should have equal consideration for his neighbors.
According to the city's administrative enforcement ordinance, if Healy does not comply with the ordinance by the deadline, he will be fined up to $250 per day until the cats are removed.
At a previous council meeting, Healy said he came into possession of the 29 cats through adoption and rescue. He said all the cats are spayed and neutered and have up-to-date animal health care.