Kennel owner, City come to agreement

After months of legal proceedings, an agreement has been reached in a case involving a Weiser kennel owner and whether she can legally operate her business within city limits.

 The agreement essentially drops all lawsuits between Charlie Prentiss and the City of Weiser. The formal agreement, which is a public document, was signed by the parties, including Mayor Randy Hibberd, last week, but was not yet available at the time of this story’s publication.

 “Both sides have agreed to drop their lawsuits and they are giving Charlie a month to get everything wrapped up,” Prentiss’ attorney, Pete Wood, told the Weiser Signal American in a phone interview on Monday. “She will no longer continue running her kennel out of her house, but she is going to continue running her organization using foster homes.

 “Charlie has started using a lot of foster homes rather than doing it so much out of her house and that has proven to be a good way to go.”

 Under the agreement, Prentiss can house up to four dogs and has 30 days to remove the remaining animals. Part of the agreement stipulates that she will comply with any new code adopted by the city council, a process that is already underway, according to Hibberd.

Background

 Prentiss operates Canines and Special Pet Rehoming (CASPR) from her home at 540 E. Hanthorn Ave. in Weiser.

 The fray between Prentiss and the City began about a year ago when neighbors started complaining about noise and foul odors they claim were created by a large group of dogs kept on Prentiss’ property, leading to numerous complaints filed with the Weiser City Police Department. Some claim they witnessed up to 10 or more dogs on the property at any given time.

 The neighbors, who say they are sympathetic to Prentiss’ passion for rescuing dogs, said they are tired of the animals allegedly barking at all hours of the day and night, vicious fights between them, aggressive dogs allegedly causing public safety issues, the smell of waste, and flies.

 For her part, Prentiss said she was operating under city code and providing a much-needed service to the community. The city disputed that, saying the kennel was in violation of city code.

 Prentiss and the City of Weiser ultimately filed separate lawsuits in the Third Judicial District Court in Weiser.

 Details on what led to the agreement have not been disclosed, but due to the complexity of the case, it could be surmised that the issue would not have been resolved quickly and would have come at a high price.

 “The city is going to be adopting new code that has stronger language for noise and smell,” Hibberd said. “The city is working on that right now. It is a priority for our city’s attorney.”

 Hibberd said that the goal is to have the new ordinance in place by the end of the year.