RICHLAND — A volatile custody dispute over a dog named Rags could be resolved if the back yard of its Vancouver owner passes an inspection required by an animal shelter.
Police Chief Layne Erdman has mediated a deal between Cheryl Ovall of Vancouver and the Mikey’s Chance shelter in West Richland, which has had the Lhasa Apso since July when it got lost while Ovall was visiting her daughter in the Tri-Cities.
The Tri-City Herald reported Wednesday that Mikey’s Chance first required Ovall to apply to adopt her dog then rejected her as an unfit owner.
Mikey’s Chance director Valerie Landon said she needs to know the dog will be OK with Ovall before she regains custody.
The police chief was cautious about the agreement.
“There was a lot of inappropriate phone calls, a lot of inappropriate things being said,” Erdman said. “People didn’t understand the situation.”
Mikey’s Chance has had the dog, which the group calls Oliver, since accepting him from West Richland Animal Control and saving him from euthanasia after he spent 18 days in the pound.
Under the deal, Rags could go home after the inspection and some dental work.
“It’s been a lot of sleepless nights the last couple of weeks,” said Ovall, who plans to reimburse Mikey’s Chance for veterinary care.
Landon said Ovall also agreed to provide documentation for the next five years to show she is taking the dog to a vet.
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