by Melissa Mixon

Animal protection and adoption professionals know that social equity plays a role in their work. For example, adoption requirements may eliminate people from marginalized groups if they require home ownership, a fenced yard, or a high fee.

Esteban Rodriguez, the new Director of the Seattle Animal Shelter, wants to tackle those challenges and more in his new role.

“I would like for us to work to provide services outside of the shelter and I would love to have a great community engagement program,” said Rodriguez. “For our organization to be successful and to really be inclusive we have to go out into the community and engage people in volunteering and adopting. When you see our truck do you run and hide your pet or do you come out and wave at us?”

Rodriguez brings 12-years’ experience in the field, most recently serving as the Operations Manager for the Santa Barbara County Animal Services Division. His service area was 32 times larger than the City of Seattle and he managed three separate shelters located an hour’s drive from each other.

His interest in animal services began as he was being a responsible pet owner. Rodriguez was looking into vaccinations and other services and found it difficult to find low-cost veterinary care. Because of that experience, he would like to host community spay, neuter, and vaccine clinics and partner with local veterinarians to bring those services to the community.

“I come with a lot of compassion for our community, for the pets and the pet owners who we serve here,” he said.

Rodriguez shares his new Seattle home with his wife and their 14-year-old son, as well as Goli, a four-year-old Giant Schnauzer mix, who they rescued from a shelter. They are all excited to be here.

“Seattle is just as beautiful as Santa Barbara, if not more so,” said Rodriguez. “When I read the job bulletin I saw a lot of things I’ve been advocating for – like providing services for marginalized communities – are happening here.”

“If there’s an opportunity we are going to look for it and make sure we’re doing the right thing. I’m committed to the Seattle Animal Shelter and the place I want to be for the rest of my career.”

No one is safe in a violent home, not the people or the pets. There is a strong correlation between animal abuse, domestic violence, and use of weapons.

That’s what Assistant City Attorney Victoria VanNocken noticed in her work, and her colleague, domestic violence Victim Advocate Alyssa Shaw, provided the analysis that proved it.

In Seattle, between 2010 and 2018, 56 percent of those charged with injuring an animal had a history of domestic violence as well. More than one-third of those charged with injuring an animal also had weapons charges in their past. These statistics only include data from Washington, so the numbers could be higher if out-of-state charges were included.

When the two women joined forces with trial prosecutor Catherine Riedo, they formed FACET, the Family and Animal Cruelty Enforcement Team. It was created in 2019 and helps to cross train police and animal protection officers. All three volunteer extra time to provide the focus that these cases need.

They worked with Seattle police officers to alert them to signs of animal abuse when responding to reports of domestic violence. Animal protection officers were likewise trained to recognize the signs of human abuse when responding to reports of animal cruelty.

“It was about all of us being at the right place at the right time,” said Shaw. “We were working together every single day and our offices were right next to each other.”

Shaw’s job involves extreme risk protection orders involving firearms. She has been a domestic violence counselor and has seen women and children seeking protection at shelters along with their pets.

“The approach we take is that if there is violence in a home everyone’s at risk.”

There was evidence about the connection between animal abuse and domestic violence, but Shaw’s analysis provided specific data about the connection in Seattle. Her research showed that the problem in Seattle mirrors the problem nationwide.

Read more about the animal cruelty and human violence connection.

Riedo said that while the connection between the two crimes is not allowed to be made during the trial, the domestic violence defendant’s criminal history can be described at arraignment and at sentencing. She will say if animal protection officers have been involved with the defendant.

“The Animal Control Officers at the Seattle Animal Shelter go above and beyond to help people and their animals,” said Riedo. “If it’s a situation where resources may be an issue, their first step is always to offer help like pet food, access to veterinary care, and things like leashes and coats. But if an animal is being abused, Animal Control Officers will seek a search warrant from a judge to allow them to take custody of that animal.”

She is also worried about a lack of police officers to assist in dangerous cases.

“We need law enforcement help to serve warrants and animal cruelty cases could drop to the bottom of the list if there are not enough officers available,” said Riedo.

Shaw agrees.

“During COVID we have seen domestic violence go through the roof, including domestic violence homicides. We fear that child abuse and animal abuse have increased in the past year because both of those thrive in isolation,” said Shaw. “Families have been stuck in unsafe situations at home during this time. It’s more important now than ever to talk about it.”

“Sometimes people might not be willing to talk about the abuse they’ve suffered but may be willing to come forward about animal abuse,” she said.

“Survivors of domestic violence are some of the smartest, most resilient people I have ever met the way they keep themselves safe,” she said. “They are experts in their own safety, and they will continue to do what they need to do to keep themselves, their children, and their animals safe. I am continually amazed at their resilience and creativity.”

And, like domestic violence, animal cruelty is not dependent on socio-economic class. For example, one case involved a tech worker openly abusing his dog.

While it is their jobs to prosecute those who commit such crimes, they encourage everyone to report violence against animals as quickly as they would report domestic violence.

“There is help available for both people and animals,” said Shaw. “The Animal Shelter can house animals for people escaping domestic violence. If you report your abuse to police you will get help from trauma-informed officers and prosecutors.”

More resources are needed to train officers and prosecute violent offenders. The women would like to provide FACET as a resource both regionally and nationally because many prosecutors deal with these types of cases. They also hope to help veterinarians recognize the signs of abuse, both human and animal.

“We want to address every facet of everyone affected and everyone involved in the cases and enable them to understand the connections,” said VanNocken.

If you see animal abuse or cruelty, please call the Animal Shelter at (206) 386-7387. To report domestic violence, please call 9-1-1.

For a guy in a tough profession, Pete Holmes has a tender spot for animals in need.

The City Attorney for Seattle has adopted many animals into his own home and has provided legal help to rescue animals facing abuse and neglect. And, while he’s now a staunch adoption advocate, Holmes said that when his children were young the family purchased pets from breeders and pet stores.

“We quickly learned, even 30 years ago, that this was not the way to go,” he said. “There is too much abuse going on with puppy mills and unhealthy breeding situations and they prey on young parents who want their children to have the wonderful experience of loving pets.”

The Holmes household has included many pets over the years: Murph, the Labrador retriever; Maggie, the beagle; and several rabbits. Currently six chickens lay dozens of eggs in the backyard, living in what Holmes describes as “the Taj Mahal of chicken coops,” and ruling the roost.

Following the death of their beloved Maggie, Holmes and his wife waited nearly three years to adopt another dog. But it was love at first sight when they met Lucy.

The 13-inch beagle with the big brown eyes was matched to Holmes by Seattle Beagle Rescue. He recalls driving to Marysville to meet Lucy and seeing how hard it was for her first owner to part with her.

“I remember how her first mom cried when we came to get her. I slept on the floor with Lucy that first night,” he said. “She needed consoling because she missed her first home.”

Shortly after that the family discovered her special needs.

Seven-year-old Lucy has medical issues that were all manageable once diagnosed and she is healthy despite having epilepsy and Cushing’s disease, for which she takes medication. Now approaching her twelfth birthday, Lucy shows no signs of slowing down and can shift into “puppy mode” at a moment’s notice.

Holmes describes her as “the sweetest beagle ever,” one who commits “dietary indiscretions” (i.e. she’ll eat anything), and one who helps him take a break when needed.

“Lucy has a wonderful characteristic of knocking the cell phone out of my hand to remind me that playing with her is a lot healthier. She makes us go for walks.”

“Beagles are notoriously cheerful. They refuse to be despondent. They live in the present, in the moment. They don’t hold grudges and they are all about having fun. Lucy is all encouraging. She’s made the pandemic easier.”

If you would like to help animals like Lucy, join this year’s Furry 5K to benefit the Seattle Animal Shelter. Register today for the June 13-20 virtual event.

By Kevin Mack, SAS Animal Control Officer and naturalist.

In addition to requiring that dogs and other pets be on leash and under control while in Seattle parks, the city’s municipal code identifies several areas in which pets are simply not allowed. These areas include any public beach, swimming or wading area, pond, fountain, stream, organized athletics area or designated children’s play area. But why have these specific areas been singled out as pet “no go” zones? There are many good answers to that question, some of which are more readily apparent than others.

Pets Cause Damage

The first reason that pets are not allowed in certain areas is that they cause damage. On playfields, the clawed feet of dogs literally tear up the ground as they run. Over time, yellowed, torn up “runways” develop in grassy areas where balls are repeatedly thrown for dogs to retrieve. Below is a photo of one such runway next to Miller Community Center in Seattle.

This damage can lead to the area becoming a muddy mess as more and more of the grass dies off. Artificial turf can also be damaged by the constant wear and tear caused by the claws of running dogs and this can significantly decrease the useful life of that turf and lead to the need for costly replacement.

Even areas on playfields that are supposed to be devoid of grass, such as the infield of a baseball diamond, may be damaged and turned into a mud pit by the constant patter of dog paws as can be seen in this recent photo taken at Soundview Playfield.

While dogs running on playfields can cause damage over time, some dogs damage fields very quickly by digging. Some of the holes dogs dig can be quite large making significant patches of a playfield unusable. Here are two such examples from Wallingford Playfield and Cascade Playground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other holes dug by dogs are smaller and harder to spot, especially if someone is running on the field playing soccer, ultimate frisbee, or another fast-moving sport. These less obtrusive holes, such as the one at Alki Playfield in the photograph below, may pose a significant tripping hazard.

Dogs, cats, and other pets may also damage playground equipment by chewing on it or scratching it. They may also urinate on it which brings us to a second reason pets are not allowed in some of these areas.

Pet Waste May Create A Sanitation Hazard

I will spare you the photos that graphically illustrate this concept and just offer a single image for your consideration. The following photo was taken on Alki Beach in Seattle.

As you can see in the photo it was a nice day and people were walking barefoot in the sand. On this same day I saw many children sitting in the sand digging, playing, and otherwise enjoying their day at the beach. In the photo you can also see that a dog had been walking on the sandy beach. The problem is, tracks are not the only thing that dogs and other pets leave behind.

Whether in the sand on the beach, grass on a playfield, or woodchips in a play area, even if a pet owner is very diligent about cleaning up after their pet they will invariably leave behind some fecal matter even if they scoop. And if the pet urinates, there is really no effective way to clean that up, nor is there a good way to remove it from a stream, pond, or fountain. Nobody wants to step in animal waste or have their child digging in or playing in areas contaminated by it.

Not only is it gross, pet waste may also harbor parasites and bacteria that could impact human health or the health of other animals. This brings us to a third reason why some areas- specifically beaches, ponds, and streams, are off limits to pets.

Pets Impact Wildlife

Seattle Parks contain the best available wildlife habitat in the city. They also contain some of the only undeveloped (or lightly developed) land/water interfaces available to Seattle’s wildlife. Wildlife tends to be more heavily concentrated in these areas as they are rich in resources these animals need to survive. More wild animals means a higher chance of interaction between these animals and your pet, interactions that may be detrimental to the health and well-being of both. Signs are posted at most areas with saltwater access alerting people that they need to stay away from federally protected species such as seals and sea lions, and these are often paired with signs reminding people that dogs are not allowed such as in this photo taken at Alki Beach Park.

But whether signs are present or not, if it is a pond, stream, or beach in a Seattle Park, always remember pets are not allowed.

Those are but a few reasons pets are not allowed at any public beach, swimming or wading area, pond, fountain, stream, organized athletics area or designated children’s play area in Seattle. The exact bit of Seattle Municipal Code that established these restrictions is SMC 18.12.080. The penalty for violating SMC 18.12.080 is an infraction level citation with a fine of $54 for the 1st offense, $109 for a 2nd offense, $136 for a 3rd offense, and $162 for each offense thereafter. So not only are there many good reasons for the rule, there is also very good reason to obey it.

That being said, there are still plenty of great places to enjoy some outdoor time with your dog or other pets in Seattle. The prohibited areas mentioned in this article only comprise a tiny fraction of the overall space available, and those areas aside, you can legally walk your pets in public parks, greenspaces and other public areas all over the city as long as they remain on leash and under your control. There are more than a dozen designated sites where you can legally let your dog get some off-leash time. A map and descriptions of Seattle’s off-leash dog parks can be found on the Seattle Parks and Recreation website here: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/find/dog-off-leash-areas

Please feel free to contact the Seattle Animal Shelter if you have any questions or concerns. To report parks violations, please use the City of Seattle’s online Customer Service Request system. We will be happy to help.

The City of Seattle has recently learned that a third-party utility billing vendor, Automatic Funds Transfer Services, Inc. (AFTS), which is used by a small number of City departments, was the victim of a ransomware attack.  City departments use this vendor for commercial billing, printing and mailing services.  Seattle Information Technology Department leads, including security and privacy teams, are working with AFTS, affected departments and the City Attorney’s office to understand the potential impact of this incident on personal information.

There is no evidence that any City of Seattle infrastructure or systems were impacted or are at heightened risk due to this event.

As we learn more about whether and how the event impacted the City, the City will notify individuals whose personal information was acquired without authorization as a result of this event. The City of Seattle encourages residents to stay vigilant and be aware of their online accounts and transactions at all times. Online security tips can be found here.