Dog attack spurs public comments

Wahkiakum County residents have asked their county commissioners for more controls on dogs following an attack May 26 that killed 97 chickens at a Puget Island farm.

The two black labs got into a pen for pullets at the residence of Scott and Dolly Hartzell. Hartzell shot and killed the dogs. The dogs had been seen wandering the Island earlier in the day. The Hartzells said the loss of the birds is a significant loss for their egg production business.

Undersheriff Jon Dearmore said Tuesday the owner of the dogs still hadn't been identified.

At the board's May 27 meeting, Ardella DeVan suggested the board consider imposing a leash law to keep people from letting dogs roam.

The suggestion drew a lukewarm response.

Commission Chair George Trott said municipal areas may have leash laws, as in Cowlitz County, but most rural residents don't seem to support them.

Commissioner Blair Brady said the board would take the suggestion under advisement.

This Tuesday, Island resisdent Craig Brown suggested the county require, at the least, an identification tag for dogs.

That way, people can identify them and notify the owner before they become a problem, he said.

Dearmore added that county ordinance requires microchip identification for dogs that have been classified as dangerous dogs, but the sheriff's office

doesn't have a device to read the chips.

"We take people at their word when they say the dog has a chip," he said.

Trott said the board would discuss the issue with the sheriff to get an idea of what should be done.