Des Moines out of lawsuit involving death of quarantined dog from Kent shelter

Published 4:25 pm Thursday, August 5, 2010

King County attorneys withdrew accusations that Des Moines animal control and one of its officers played a role in the death of a dog last fall shortly after it left the Kent Shelter.

A scheduled King County Superior Court hearing July 30 about the role of Des Moines in the lawsuit against King County brought by Elma residents Chani Hayes and Gary Cobb was cancelled because the county no longer is pointing a finger at the city or animal control officer Jan Magnuson, said Bellingham attorney Adam Karp in a July 27 e-mail.

Karp represents the Elma couple in the suit against the county for the lack of care of their dog. They are suing for damages because of the death of the dog. The dog died one day after the couple brought it home after a 16-day quarantine at the shelter. They were visiting family in Des Moines with their dog when the biting incident occurred.

The case is scheduled to go to trial Oct. 17, 2011.