Elk Grove Animal Services ensnared in another dog lawsuit
At the start of last week's Elk Grove City Council meeting, Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen noted that during their secret meeting, the city council unanimously approved the city attorney to defend a lawsuit against the city. In the case of Steven Higashi v. City of Elk Grove Animal Services, the plaintiff seeks to stop the city from classifying their canine known as Oliver, a German Shepherd, as a dangerous animal.
According to legal filings, on March 27, the plaintiff's dog, Oliver, allegedly approached the male victim while exiting his vehicle. The victim told Elk Grove Animal Services Oliver was barking before biting him in an unspecified portion of his body.
The victim claimed Oliver had displayed aggressive behavior toward his mother-in-law. The victim also had another witness who said Oliver was frequently "loose off the Higashi property."
On April 3, Administrative Hearing Officer Ruben Hernandez found the evidence provided by Elk Grove Animal Services demonstrated Oliver was a dangerous animal. The hearing office also noted that the victim "did suffer a less than severe injury."
With that determination, Higashi must comply with several requirements. Some of them are muzzling the dog when off the owner's property, canine obedience classes, payment of a dangerous animal permit, and additional liability insurance.
The order gave the owner 30 days for compliance, or the dog should be euthanized, and the option to appeal. The owners appealed the decision that Oliver is a dangerous animal.
This is not the first time Elk Grove Animal Services has been challenged for classifying a dog as a dangerous animal. In 2022, the German Shepheard Zeus was classified as a dangerous animal, and after wranglings between the dog's owner and the city and worldwide media exposure, the canine was euthanized.
Zeus's owner and her family have filed suits in state and federal court, asserting their due process has been violated. The next hearing for Oliver is scheduled in Department 47 of the Sacramento Superior Court on June 6.
