Washington: Krystle Osgood says Animal Control stole her dog; they say she needs to be charged with animal cruelty

WASHINGTON -- A Thurston County woman has filed a theft report after her family’s 12-year-old dog was impounded over accusations of neglect.

Krystle Osgood said that Ginger, a white Shih Tzu-Maltese mix, had been walking Aug. 18 near the gravel road at the edge of her 23-acre property on Danby Drive in Rochester. When she couldn’t find the dog, Osgood posted information online.

As it turns out, the dog was picked up and brought to the Animal Services shelter on Martin Way as a stray with no identification — and has been at the shelter ever since.

Animal-control officer Erika Johnson said the dog had a severe bacterial skin infection and a condition called dry eye that prevented the dog from closing her eyes. The dog’s symptoms have improved since the impounding nearly two weeks ago, she said.

“She was in desperate need of medical attention,” Johnson told The Olympian.

Johnson said the case was presented Friday to Thurston County District Court for a possible charge of animal neglect against Osgood. No decision had been filed Monday afternoon.

Johnson said Animal Services has been unable to find a record of treatment for the dog.

The burden is on the owner to prove that the dog “will not suffer future neglect or abuse.” After a dog has been in custody at Animal Services for 15 days, the agency may either find the dog a new home or euthanize it.

“Animal Services is not the bad guy here,” Johnson said. “There’s a reason we do what we do.”

Osgood has petitioned to get her dog back and is awaiting word from Thurston County.

She also filed a theft report Aug. 20 with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. The report contends that Ginger “only wanders to the gravel road to potty” and was on Osgood’s property when she was picked up.

(The Olympian - Aug 29, 2016)