A large, white, 1-year-old pyrenees labrador mix named Moro earned a unanimous vote, 4-0, ruling him a “dangerous dog” from the Lewis County Dangerous Animal Designation (DAD) board on Monday.
On Jan. 17, at a home in the Napavine-Chehalis area, Moro attacked a delivery driver from Bremerton who works for Jarde, an Amazon subcontractor, while she was bringing a package to the dog’s owners. The Chronicle is choosing not to publish the driver’s name due to the medical nature of the incident, which she testified in front of the DAD board as having rendered her left arm “90% disabled.”
Now, Moro’s owners, Chehalis residents Mistina Willmaser and Joseph Dean-Dick, must determine what to do with their pet.
“We understand the severity of the situation,” Willmaser said Monday.
Per county code, the duo will be required to either euthanize the dog or follow a strict set of rules. The former can be carried out by the owner’s chosen veterinarian or by the county.
To keep the dog, the owners will have to house him in a six-sided enclosure with posted signs warning that he’s dangerous and annually pay $50 with proof of renters or homeowners insurance for re-registration. If the dog is to be walked or transported at any time, he must wear a muzzle and be under the care of a competent adult. Non-compliance with the dangerous animal codes can lead to criminal charges.
According to records used in the hearing, the driver sustained puncture wounds from dog bites to her arm, finger and chest. Several pages of photos detail the progressions of her injuries since January, which have cost her at least $12,000 in medical bills. She’s also suffered infections and ongoing fevers, the records state.
“Every one of my coworkers knew that address and weren't surprised when they found out that that was where I was mauled,” the driver said during her testimony. “At the end of the day, had it been one of my other, smaller coworkers, I would be attending a funeral. Nobody deserves this. I don’t deserve this.”
In the incident report, Willmaser shared with an officer from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office that Moro was “hit in the head by a box from a delivery driver when he was young.”
Dean-Dick said on Monday the couple would be purchasing a delivery box at the end of their driveway to prevent any incidents in the future. Whether the driver will pursue reimbursement in court is not specified, but records do state Willmaser was “inquiring about paying for the injuries” at the time of the incident.
The driver said she has follow-up appointments to understand the extent of her nerve damage and other potentially permanent effects of the injuries in the following months. If her situation is permanent, she said her employment options will be severely limited.
“Data entry and lifting are not something I can do right now. I had to have my brother drive me here because I can't drive,” the driver said. “My life is a mess. I have severe PTSD, severe depression. I don't leave the house anymore and I'm terrified of my own dogs.”
For previous Chronicle reporting on the history and proceedings of the DAD board, visit https://bit.ly/dog-court.
