Residents between Montlake and 15th Ave E are speaking up to support an area homeless man seeking a reunion with his dog, Sunny.
William’s tale has drawn a lot of attention in a series of posts on the Nextdoor community social network for the area:
I know many of you have seen or even talked to William an older man who you see with a black Labrador Retriever juvenile female around the Montlake neighborhood. He lives on a small boat on the water east of the old MOHAI. He does ask for money on the Montake off ramp. I have got to know him over the past few years and he has had some tough luck and is not an alcoholic and does not use drugs. His love is his dog. He seems very gruff and loud but that’s just his way. I have never seen him mistreat either of his dogs. Where we might speak gently to our dog he may yell but again it’s his way. This past Monday he was at the Safeway on Capitol Hill and tied Sunny up outside and some well intentioned person called the police and Animal Control came and took the dog from William telling him that someone complained that he was cruel to the dog. He is really broken up about it. I just talked to him. He told me that she sleeps on his chest and that he feeds her only the best food sometimes going hungry himself. I have seen his cart many times and he has only good quality dog food in it. I know this is long winded but many of us could be in the same situation.
It has already been ten days since Sunny was taken into custody. Ann Graves of the Seattle Animal Shelter tells CHS that the situation is being investigated as quickly as possible. “While an investigation takes as long as it takes, we’re not dragging our feet, we want to bring this to resolution as fast as we can,” she said. Graves said he is not at risk of losing the dog only because he is homeless.
Graves said people familiar with William can fill out a statement form to assist in the animal cruelty investigation. You can contact Graves here via email. Refer to case 15-2148.
In the meantime, William is not able to visit Sunny until the investigation is complete but Graves said the dog is in good hands. “Sunny is being well taken care of,” Graves said.
It would be interesting to know what was witnessed by the person who reported the incident to Animal Control. Presumably this was not done just because Sunny was tied up and left alone (although that’s never a good idea). Was William cruel or abusive to the dog? If so, that’s not acceptable just because it’s “his way.”
I can’t believe someone would have this guy’s dog taken away. People seriously need to mind their own business around here. Can you imagine being homeless, living outside, having nobody but your dog who is literally all you have in the entire world, and some know it all jerk has it taken away from you? This is disgusting.
I’m impressed that he did the right thing by not taking his dog into the store. Far too many people in this town violate the service animal exception (and create prejudice against people with actual disabilities) by brazenly taking their pets into supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, etc., without even so much as a fake vest or badge. For that reason alone, I sympathize with this guy. Give him back his dog.
Has anyone asked Ellen Taft about this? Wouldn’t surprise me if she made the call.
Per Homeless in Seattle, Sunny has not been returned & charges haven’t been filed after ELEVEN weeks.