SpokAnimal’s in doghouse with neighbors

Adam Holmes was fed up listening to the incessant barking from a neighbor’s dogs. He dialed the telephone number for SpokAnimal C.A.R.E., the agency that contracts with Spokane for animal control services.

Holmes had a question: What can a poor taxpayer do to stop the yapping?

He was told he needed a few witnesses to sign a petition. Once a case is built, SpokAnimal can cite a negligent owner.

Holmes was asked where the boisterous bowsers could be found. He was waiting for that one.

The mutts, he told them, were in a holding pen in the front yard at Springfield and Napa.

That probably sounded familiar. It’s the SpokAnimal headquarters.

The chain-link enclosure has been used to contain critters being considered for adoption and to house dogs during indoor cage cleaning. For the past several weeks, however, the outdoor pens have had more guests than a Motel 6.

The space was needed while the old indoor kennel received a complete makeover.

On Tuesday afternoon, several four-legged occupants were doing time in the outdoor cages. There was plenty of barking to be heard.

To Holmes, it’s “the ultimate in hypocrisy,” for the city’s animal control professionals to be the ones creating a barking dog nuisance.

Holmes has a ringside seat to the canine chorus. His business, Creekside Construction & Restoration, is on Napa directly across from the outdoor kennels.

But while Holmes is frustrated, Richard Pozzi is blowing steam. “Torture,” he says of the barking. “It’s pure torture.”

Pozzi runs Professional Auto Maintenance, two doors north of Creekside. His problems with SpokAnimal date back to last year, when dogs were being held in the outdoor pens day and night. The pens were put there at the city’s request to accommodate after-hours doggy drop-offs.

Since Pozzi lives in the apartment above his shop, the nocturnal woofing got old fast.

SpokAnimal director Gail Mackie says she stopped taking animals at night after Pozzi complained to an official. But people broke into the pens three times after that and left dogs.

Pozzi took Mackie to small claims court, contending he was being harassed.

The judge agreed. He fined Mackie $10 plus $25 in court costs.

As penalties go it was kibbles and bits. But losing in court persuaded Mackie to put better locks on the pens.

Daytime use is a different story. Mackie says that the neighborhood is zoned light industrial and that it is OK for SpokAnimal to use the cages during normal working hours.

Even so, she says she is sympathetic to her neighbors’ concerns. She promises to have the barking problem solved by Friday.

By then, the 52 spiffy new indoor kennels will be open for business. There will be no need to use the outdoor cages other than to let someone observe an animal up for adoption, she says.

That’s reasonable.

The new kennels look great, thanks to donations from local businesses.

Work began Oct. 2. The nasty old kennels were replaced with shiny new ones. A quality ventilation system was installed. The floor was painted with gray industrial paint. The walls are cheery gold and purple.

Volume has always been SpokAnimal’s primary concern.

In 2003 the agency handled 15,425 field calls. Of late, 10 to 15 dogs a day have been coming in. Many of the animals have no ID.

Last year, 150 dogs were put down due to a lack of space.

Nobody wants that to happen, least of all Holmes or Pozzi. Holmes has a prize hunting dog. Pozzi has two dogs. The mechanic’s business card features a photograph of him holding one of his furry pals.

Pozzi makes no bones about it. He wants those dog kennels torn down. In lieu of that, he’ll probably settle for peace and quiet.

As he notes of Mackie and her employees at SpokAnimal, “They’re getting paid to listen to dogs bark. I’m not.”