King Co Council blasts animal control officers
SEATTLE -- King County Council members want to know why animal control officers are prioritizing animal cruelty over public safety.
Council members said officers are more focused on running the county animal shelter than they're on responding to dog attacks.
"They've lost sight of their key mission, and their key mission is keeping people safe from dogs and animals that attack," said Council Member Reagan Dunn.
Dunn says he's putting his foot down because if he doesn't, no one will be safe.
Recent dog attacks throughout King County have sent several people to the hospital.
In Burien, police accused a teenager of siccing her pit bull on two helpless victims. In Seattle, two dogs attacked a 71-year-old woman, ripping her ears off. And in Bothell, a woman was walking her dog when a pit bull attacked and killed her dog.
Council members claim animal control officers often respond too late to emergency calls and not enforcing the law to the fullest, because they're more interested in running the county's animal shelter.
But King County Animal Control officers say they're stretched to the max and, with no reserves to run to, doing the best they can. And Sgt. John Diel, who says animal control officers have merely been following the council's lead, is now firing back.
With just one officer for every 170,000 residents, Diel says his department is understaffed. And he claims the council doesn't provide money for officers in the field, and only funds the animal shelter.
"I've certainly been asking for more money for many years," he said. "Blame management, blame animal control officers. But last time I checked, I don't have control over the budget."
And the county executive's office echo Diel's words.
When council members mandated improvements at the county's animal shelter after it fell under harsh criticism last year, animal control officers warned them their mandate would leave an insufficient number of officers on the street. But the officers claim the warnings went ignored.
And now the battle is on.
"They've got to responsibility for what they've done to Animal Control in King County, and the citizens of King County deserve to be very upset," said Diel. "And they can make all the excuses they want, but until they keep the public safe, we're not going to buy it."
Diel said he believes the council's blasting is part of a bigger plan to fire workers and privatize animal control.
Dunn denies the allegations and say the council just wants animal control to run more efficiently.
Council members said officers are more focused on running the county animal shelter than they're on responding to dog attacks.
"They've lost sight of their key mission, and their key mission is keeping people safe from dogs and animals that attack," said Council Member Reagan Dunn.
Dunn says he's putting his foot down because if he doesn't, no one will be safe.
Recent dog attacks throughout King County have sent several people to the hospital.
In Burien, police accused a teenager of siccing her pit bull on two helpless victims. In Seattle, two dogs attacked a 71-year-old woman, ripping her ears off. And in Bothell, a woman was walking her dog when a pit bull attacked and killed her dog.
Council members claim animal control officers often respond too late to emergency calls and not enforcing the law to the fullest, because they're more interested in running the county's animal shelter.
But King County Animal Control officers say they're stretched to the max and, with no reserves to run to, doing the best they can. And Sgt. John Diel, who says animal control officers have merely been following the council's lead, is now firing back.
With just one officer for every 170,000 residents, Diel says his department is understaffed. And he claims the council doesn't provide money for officers in the field, and only funds the animal shelter.
"I've certainly been asking for more money for many years," he said. "Blame management, blame animal control officers. But last time I checked, I don't have control over the budget."
And the county executive's office echo Diel's words.
When council members mandated improvements at the county's animal shelter after it fell under harsh criticism last year, animal control officers warned them their mandate would leave an insufficient number of officers on the street. But the officers claim the warnings went ignored.
And now the battle is on.
"They've got to responsibility for what they've done to Animal Control in King County, and the citizens of King County deserve to be very upset," said Diel. "And they can make all the excuses they want, but until they keep the public safe, we're not going to buy it."
Diel said he believes the council's blasting is part of a bigger plan to fire workers and privatize animal control.
Dunn denies the allegations and say the council just wants animal control to run more efficiently.