Dog on death row in Albany
4-year-old blue lacy, named Blue, has been in the Linn County Dog Control facility since Sept. 12, 2010 on death row as his owner fights a legal battle with the city of Albany
A 4-year-old blue lacy, named Blue, has been on death row in Albany for nine months as his owner battles the city. As the lawsuit drags through the court system, Blue has gained hundreds of supporters who are now trying to change the city’s dangerous dog law.
Blue has been in a cage at the Linn County Dog Control shelter since Sept. 12, 2010.
Albany’s Police Chief deemed him to be a dangerous dog after he bit a toddler who got in his food bowl while he was eating. Under current Albany city code, a dangerous dog gets the death penalty.
Blue’s owner, Richard Raymond, hired attorney Paul Meadowbrook to fight the death sentence and challenge the city’s ruling that Blue is dangerous. Meadowbrook said Blue was 24 hours away from being euthanized earlier this year when he got a court order to stop the process, appealing the municipal courts decision that Blue is a danger.
Meadowbrook said he is waiting for the city of Albany to produce court records from the original hearing so they can continue the writ of review process.
Blue’s owner said he does want the dog back, but also offered the solution of sending Blue back to his original owner, Raymond’s ex-wife, in Texas. Raymond’s girlfriend said they are willing to move out of the county and city to get Blue back.
Over the last few months, Blue has gained hundreds of supporters. Albany resident Charlene Morrison is part of a group who started a petition to change the city of Albany’s ordinance on dangerous dogs.
Morrison said, "We need to get the ordinance rewritten; a police officer is not qualified to make that decision and certainly the city is not, that decision needs to be made by a professional."
Morrison said a veterinarian should be required to determine whether a dog is dangerous, and can or cannot be rehabilitated.
Dr. Arlene Brooks has been a vet for 20 years and has examined Blue several times. "You don’t mess with a dog while he is eating and in Blue’s situation he had the toddler get in the bowl with him while he was eating and he did cause injury to toddler."
Brooks said it is an unfortunate event that should not have happened, but there should have been parental supervision.
City council member Dick Olsen said he is one of the three Albany city council members who wants Blue to get a second chance.
Olsen said there are four council members who think Blue is dangerous and should die, but Olsen said he has been working on an amendment to the dog ordinance. "The way it works now you either give dog back to owner scot-free, or you kill the dog. I would like to see a middle area."
On May 13, 2010, the city allowed Brooks and Blue’s family to visit him at the Linn County shelter and take him out running on a leash. Brooks said it was the first time the dog has been allowed to run in 8 months.
Blue’s family said it’s only the second time they have been allowed to see him since he was locked up last Sept.
Supporters have gathered 1300 signatures on a petition that they plan to present to the Albany City Council Wednesday night. They plan to ask for a "city pardon" for Blue.
Albany resident Cherie Holverson said, "This dog needs our help, if we don’t do something he is going to be killed."
City attorney Jim Delapoer said the city can’t ignore the law. Gerald Warren is acting city attorney on the case. He said that he and Blue’s attorney have reached an agreement to move Blue from the Linn County shelter into the Albany Pet Hotel where he can live in a more humane facility for the duration of the legal proceedings.
As of Monday afternoon, Blue was still at the Linn County Dog Control.
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