Declining other alternatives

MOSES LAKE - A Moses Lake couple ordered to remove 26 of their 29 cats from their South Jefferson Avenue home plan to have their pets euthanized.

Several concerned citizens contacted the Columbia Basin Herald to find out if they can help Brian and Yvonne Healy by adopting their extra pets.

When informed about people wanting to help, the Healys advised they would rather euthanize the cats.

"No one will be adopting them," Yvonne Healy said. "We're putting them all to sleep. They're our animals and we've had (some of them) for 17 years."

She said they plan to move to Seattle and are euthanizing the cats because they don't have enough time to move from Moses Lake.

Brian Healy declined to comment.

"I have nothing to say to the (Columbia Basin) Herald, it's none of your business," he said about what will happen with the cats.

The city ordered the Healys to remove 26 of their 29 cats last year after neighbors filed several complaints about the animals.

The city council granted the Healys an extension to find homes for the animals. Once the extension ran out, the Healys appealed the order to the hearing examiner.

The hearing examiner ruled in favor of the city May 8 stating the Healys violated the ordinance limiting pet ownership per household to three pets.

Since the animals remained at the house after the hearing examiner ruled against them, they are being fined $250 per day if they continue to violate the ordinance. The fine accumulation began May 11.