[1]Hank’s family visits him at the Lewis County Animal Shelter
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The attorney working to save the life of Hank the pit bull terrier announced today a judge agreed with a lower court which ruled Hank is a dangerous dog who should be put down.
“Today, Judge Edwards affirmed Judge Buzzard’s ruling,” Bellingham animal lawyer Adam Karp stated. “However, he did not enter an order at this time.”
The appeal of Lewis County District Court Judge R.W. Buzzard’s June decision was heard in Grays Harbor County Superior Court because all three Lewis County Superior Court judge’s recused themselves.
The 2-year-old pet belonged to a Centralia family which adopted him in January from the Lewis County Animal Shelter. Jan Propp-Estimo, her son and grandson lost him when local authorities realized Hank was actually a dog named Tank which the county had previously designated a dangerous dog because he was implicated with his mother in the killing of two goats in Winlock last year.
The county took him back in May. He remains locked up at the shelter.
Karp said that the judge today basically said it’s not his job to second guess Judge Buzzard.
Presently there is no order mandating Hank’s euthanasia by any date certain.
The parties will return to Grays Harbor County Superior Court at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 25 to enter the written order of today’s oral conclusions of the judge, Karp said.
Karp said his plan is to appeal today’s decision to the state Court of Appeals, trying to expedite it, for Hank’s sake, he said.
Separately, an action Karp filed on Propp-Estimo’s behalf against Lewis County and some of its personnel seeking damages and other relief was removed to federal court and continues.
Karp this afternoon said something he’s learned in nearly 20 years of practice is, if first you don’t succeed, keep on trying because often one finds justice at higher levels.
“We’re not going to let this dog die, it’s just not going to happen,” he said. “If it requires the Ninth Circuit or the Washington Supreme Court, that’s what we’ll do.
“I feel for Hank, being incarcerated for this period of time; I hope he’ll have the spirit to continue on.”
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For background, read “Hank: Judge declines to declassify dangerous dog” from Monday June 19, 2017, here [2]