Here's the latest article from the Ocala paper regarding the proceedings:
Article published Jan 19, 2006
"Some of that is irreversible."
Richard Jones
Grunnah's attorney on sterilizing the dogs and enforcing restrictions
Appeals process begins in dog case
CATHERINE DOLINSKI
THE STAR-BANNER
OCALA - The owner of three prized, purebred dogs "declared dangerous" by Marion County officials, asked a Marion County court judge Wednesday to delay enforcing the decision to sterilize the dogs until she can appeal it in court.
Attorneys for Debi Grunnah, a professional dog and horse breeder in Ocala, filed motions in county court Wednesday to stay enforcement of the Marion County Code Enforcement Board's Jan. 4 decision to sterilize and closely confine Grunnah's three Anatolian shepherds for killing a couple's Chihuahua.
The case has elicited cries of protest from dog breeders around the country because one of the shepherds, Rocky, is a veritable celebrity on the dog show circuit and was ranked nationally last year as top in his breed. Grunnah, who did not return phone calls this week, maintained immediately following the hearing that at least two of the dogs were innocent and vowed to appeal the ruling.
In her motions, Grunnah declared her intent to appeal the ruling, requested a court hearing and requested that the court delay the county from enforcing the county board's ruling, despite an apparent requirement to the contrary outlined in the county's "dangerous dog" ordinance. The ordinance states that "in the event of an appeal . . . the owner of the dog must obtain a certificate of registration for the dog from the animal control authority."
Grunnah's attorney, Richard Jones, said that would render an appeal virtually meaningless, from a practical standpoint. "That entails doing everything," he said, explaining that obtaining the "certificate of registration" also means sterilizing the dogs and enforcing the rest of the restrictions listed in the county code. "Some of that is irreversible."
Jones said he believes that part of the code was written in error, since it otherwise follows the example of state statute. In the case of an appeal, the state statute enforces a ruling against a dog only if and after a county court judge upholds the county's "dangerous dog" classification.
As written, the county code would require Grunnah to obtain the certificate of registration within 14 days of the code enforcement board's Jan. 4 decision - which would mean Wednesday, counting weekends and holidays, or Jan. 25 counting only business days - or in the event of an appeal. Not obtaining the certificate is illegal, according to the ordinance.
Attempts to reach code enforcement officials or Assistant County Attorney Tom McNamara, who was sent notice of Grunnah's appeal Wednesday, were unsuccessful.
After the hearing on Jan. 4, Grunnah said the county's dog ordinance was unduly harsh and unfair to dog owners. Jones would not say whether Grunnah intended to appeal the ruling based on the facts of the case, or if she would challenge the law itself. The case is currently assigned to Judge Frances King, according to the online records of the Marion County Clerk of Court.
Grunnah said on Jan. 4 that the county's ruling against the dogs amounted to a death sentence for them. She will have them destroyed unless she wins an appeal, she said, because their "dangerous" classification would cost her the insurance she needs to run her breeding business.
Attendants at the veterinary practice of Holly Vance in Ocala confirmed that, as of Wednesday, all three "dangerous dogs" remained in custody there.