Garfield cat odor under investigation

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Sep 04, 20130

An odor from a group of cats living at a Garfield residence has led to a police investigation.

Garfield-Palouse Police Chief Jerry Neumann reported that the matter on Cleveland Street is a violation of town codes.

“It’s an active, ongoing investigation, It’s a bit of an unbearable situation,” he said, referring to the odor for neighbors living nearby.

Garfield-Palouse Police Officer Joe Merry served notice to the residents in mid-August, requiring them to come up with a timetable by today, Sept. 5, for taking care of the problem.

If they don’t, Merry said he will issue a citation, the first of which is a $100 fine, followed by a $200 the next week.

A fourth fine would be $1,000, Merry said.

“The ultimate end to this is to hold them in compliance, and get it cleaned up for the neighbors,” Neumann said.

Merry said there are nine or 10 cats on the property, along with a few dogs and other items which violate Garfield town code – overgrown grass and trees, debris and junk vehicles.

“I’ve only had to issue a few tickets in my 11 years in Garfield on this (kind of matter),” Merry said, indicating that he likes to work with residents to allow them to get into compliance before a citation.

The main problem regarding the cats is feces and urine smell from around the residence.

“They’re almost to the point of being feral cats,” Merry said.

For now, the Whitman County Humane Society is not involved.

“Law enforcement acts first,” said said Brittany Wiltz, the local Society’s director of shelter operations. “That’s the route things have to go through first.”

She said that law enforcement leads a matter such as this because the animals are owned, to one degree or another, as opposed to strays.

Usually, Wiltz said, a resident is presented with the option, depending on the case, to vaccinate and spay or neuter the problem animals. Or, they could give them up for adoption, in which the animals become the property of the humane society.

If, Wiltz said, following a police investigation, the homeowner is deemed in violation of town codes, and will not surrender ownership, then law enforcement may seek a warrant to seize the animals.