Man ordered to give up 14 dogs

An Athol man found guilty of operating an illegal kennel for his 19 dogs was sentenced Wednesday in 1st District Court and has 30 days to remove 14 dogs or serve up to six months in jail.

Frank Wall also was ordered to pay a $500 fine plus court costs and serve two years on unsupervised probation.

At the sentencing, Magistrate Eugene Marano told Wall, “Let me make it crystal clear. You may only have five dogs on your property on 5 p.m. on Oct. 26.”

Under a recently revised Kootenai County animal control ordinance, Marano could have ordered that all 19 dogs be immediately impounded. Residents may keep up to five dogs, or more if they receive a county kennel license.

The case came to a head this week after more than two years of complaints from neighbors about excessive barking from Wall’s dogs.

Wall, who lives on the Hackney Airpark, was initially issued a kennel license. But the county revoked it after nearby homeowners said the dogs disturbed the peace.

He continued to keep all the dogs even after the county told him to get rid of most of them. Wall said he’ll appeal the judge’s decision. In the meantime, he said he will comply with his sentence and move all but five dogs out of the county.