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Seattle District Court Judge Barbara Linde on May 8 ordered dog keeper
Wallace Gray to pay $45,480 to neighbor Paula Roemer, 71, for the February
2004 fatal mauling of her cat Yofi by Gray’s chow. Gray was not living
on the premises next door to Roemer at the time. The chow repeatedly broke
through the fence between the properties, Roemer testified, before the
fatal attack on Yofi and several other cats. Gray, who did not defend
against the lawsuit, told Seattle Times reporters Warren Cornwall and
Craig Welch that he had already served 21 days in jail and three months
under house arrest for a related animal control violation. The award,
including $30,000 for the loss of Yofi, whom Roemer rescued on a 1992
visit to Israel, and $15,000 for emotional distress, is believed to be
the highest yet in a loss-of-pet case. Roemer was represented by Washington
State Bar Association animal law section founder Adam Karp.
