A Year Too Late, Forks Passes Dangerous Dog Ordinance

Protestors outside the Olympic Animal “Sanctuary” in Forks, WA. Photo from Protest OAS.

Forks Finally Takes Action

Exactly 11 months after Steve Markwell arrived in Arizona with the 124 dogs from the Olympic Animal “Sanctuary” stuffed in crates inside a truck trailer, the Forks City Council passed a “Dog Collection” ordinance that limits the number of animals citizens can have on their property. 

The Council passed the ordinance in response to the uproar created by Markwell’s the abuse and neglect of dogs.

The “Sanctuary” was supposed to be a alternative to euthanization where dogs with severe behavior problems could live out their lives peacefully.

Unfortunately, it was no sanctuary for dogs.

Olympic Animal “Sanctuary” – A Jail for Dogs

Markwell kept up to 160 dogs locked in crates 24/7 inside an unheated warehouse. He forced them to live on top of filthy straw soaked with their own urine and feces. They got no exercise.

Markwell fed starvation rations that mainly consisted of maggot-filled meat stored on the dirty warehouse floor for days. They had no reliable access to fresh water.

This is how dogs lived inside the “Sanctuary.” Photo from OAS-Life inside the Sanctuary.

Markwell left town with the dogs and turned them over to Guardians of Rescue in Arizona after people began to stand in front of the warehouse and protest the treatment of the dogs inside.

Pictures taken by a volunteer and Forks police that clearly showed the dogs suffered inside the warehouse. However, Forks officials claimed the pictures was too old and not taken according to the correct protocol.

And since they supposedly couldn’t use the pictures of evidence, officials said they couldn’t enter the warehouse without Markwell’s permission.

Better Than Nothing

Here are the main points of the new ordinance, which goes into effect January 1, 2015:

• Requires an annual Animal Collector’s License if someone has 11 or more canines, felines, birds in any combination onhingtheir property excluding owners of traditional farm animals and owners of a licensed veterinary clinic, office, and/or hospital
• Establishes an application process for the Animal Collector’s License, along with specific fees based upon the number of animals being collected
• Establishes a minimum “adequate space” requirement that the collector is required to demonstrate, subject to an inspection by the City at its discretion, as part of the licensing process
• Creates a civil penalty for the violation of the ordinance,which may be implemented on a per day basis for failing to comply with the licensing requirements
• Creates a basis for the City, at its discretion, to seize the animals 

Personally, I think the number of animals  people can have is too high, but at least there is a limit that will prevent people from keeping dozens of dogs on their property and allow officials to seize the animals.

But why did the Forks City Council wait so long to pass this ordinance?

Why did they tell the hundreds of people demanding action that they had no power to do anything?

Officials got dozens of documents in the summer of 2012 showing neglected, suffering dogs inside the warehouse.

But for 2 years, they did nothing.

Did Political Threats Spook Forks Officials?

In my opinion, it all came down to politics. After a member of the Forks Police Department took the pictures of the dogs inside the warehouse, the Vice-President of the “Sanctuary” board, Matthew Randazzo sent this threatening letter to Mayor Bryon Monohon:

Email from Matthew Randazzo to Forks Mayor Bryon Monohon. He threatens retribution if Forks police continued investigating the Olympic Animal “Sanctuary.”

As Chair of the Clallam County Democratic Party, Mr. Randazzo had the political connections he could use to follow through on his veiled threats to Mayor Monohon.

He is currently a special assistant Washington Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark.

No one can explain why Forks officials turned a blind eye to OAS without mentioning this letter.

I’m glad that the Forks City Council passed the ordinance restricting the number of animals a citizen can have.

Unfortunately, their action came much too late to help the dogs that suffered in that warehouse.

To see a copy of the ordinance, click here.