In brief: Wrong dog euthanized at Oregon shelter

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Sadie the blue heeler wound up in quarantine at a Roseburg, Ore., animal shelter after she bit her owner Tammi Ritz on the lip. Before Ritz could furnish paperwork showing that her dog was vaccinated against rabies, Sadie was mistakenly euthanized.

Ritz sought hospital treatment for the bite and hospital staff reported it to animal control officials. They impounded the dog at Saving Grace Rescue & Adoption pending the vaccination check, according to KVAL.

Ritz came to get Sadie – and was taken to a kennel containing the wrong dog. Shelter Executive Director Wendy Kang said two heelers were in quarantine at the same time.

Kang called the mistake “just one of the worst nightmares come true.” She said the shelter plans to add a second, separate ID to dogs held in quarantine.

Political consulting firm fined $250,000, fees

SEATTLE – A political consulting firm has agreed to pay one of the largest election-related fines in state history for trying to conceal the source of last-minute campaign mailings that targeted a Democratic state senator – a high-profile case that led to changes in campaign-reporting laws.

The state attorney general’s office announced the lawsuit settlement with Moxie Media on Friday.

The firm and its partners, Lisa MacLean and Henry Underhill, will pay a $250,000 fine and $40,000 in legal fees. If they comply with campaign reporting laws through 2015, $140,000 of the penalty would be suspended.

State election authorities say Moxie Media established two layers of political committees to sponsor $9,000 in postcards and robo-calls seeking to oust state Sen. Jean Berkey, D-Everett.

Berkey, a conservative Democrat, was being targeted by labor interests, who preferred another Democratic candidate.

Former deputy convicted of strangling ex-wife

LEWISTON – A North Idaho jury has convicted a former Nez Perce County deputy of strangling his ex-wife to death.

A jury deliberated for about nine hours before reaching a verdict Friday that found 38-year-old Joseph A. Thomas guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his former wife, Beth Irby-Thomas.

The Lewiston woman was found on the floor in her living room May 1 with a belt wrapped tightly around her neck. Prosecutors argued that Thomas had killed his ex-wife, while his attorney claimed she died accidentally while practicing autoerotic asphyxiation.

Snow leopard recovers from hip surgery

IDAHO FALLS – A male snow leopard at an Idaho Falls zoo is recovering from surgery after having his arthritic right hip replaced with a titanium implant.

The Tautphaus Park Zoo announced the hip replacement surgery took place Thursday in Sun Valley. An orthopedic veterinary specialist also found a tumor near the cat’s hip joint. The surgeon removed most of the tumor and sent samples out for further testing.

Zoo officials said the snow leopard will be monitored for any signs of developing disease and additional treatment options will be explored.