City approves legal action against dog owner after multiple attacks

The Unalaska City Council on Tuesday authorized the city to pursue legal action against a dog owner whose malamutes have attacked multiple dogs and a resident in recent months.

Councilmembers voted unanimously in favor of a resolution that lets the city attorney seek legal recourse to enforce local animal control laws. The defendant owns three malamute dogs deemed vicious by city authorities.

“The owner has been cited seven times for conduct stemming from the two incidents in October and April,” the council resolution reads. “The citation in October was not sufficient to prevent the April attack and it is believed more than citations will be necessary to protect the public.”

Several community members voiced support for the measure, including Rachel Vernon, who told council members that the malamutes attacked and killed her dog, Ollie, in April. Her husband, Levi Vernon, was also attacked while trying to protect their dog.

“It has taken a sense of our safety away,” Vernon said. “We don’t feel comfortable going on a lot of the public trails anymore.”

“Ollie’s attack and death were completely preventable. There was no reason why they should have been put into that situation, and it’s actually really frustrating that we had to go through that,” she said.

Megan Dean is another Unalaska resident who wrote to the council in support of the resolution. She said her dog was attacked by the same malamutes last year, and referred to the owner’s lack of action as “obvious negligence.”

After the April attack, longtime resident Suzi Golodoff started a petition calling for stricter enforcement of the city’s animal control laws. That petition was introduced to the city council in late May with dozens of signatures.

Unalaska Police Chief Kim Hankins said he has received calls from multiple residents who say they avoid public trails due to unleashed dogs.

The council voted to authorize legal action and city attorney Sam Severin said he plans to file the suit as early as next week.