PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County commissioners Monday directed the sheriff to reinstate the county licensing program as the county prepares to fill a public records request for pet licensing information.
Sheriff Bill Benedict has hoped a citizen would file for an injunction with the Clallam County Superior Court by the deadline of next Monday, but said he told commissioners that high attorney fees seem to be preventing people from filing.
He knows some attorneys have considered filing the injunction, but said he doesn’t have confidence any will.
Benedict suspended the animal licensing program in July after a resident made a similar request.
“Most attorneys are going to charge $5,000 or $10,000 just to start,” he said.
Without an injunction filed, Benedict said he will be forced to release the personal information of licensed pet owners to Bill Sheehan of Edmonds, who has made multiple broad requests for personal information to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Sheehan has said he has made no plans for what to do with the information and that he won’t know his plan until he inspects the records.
Benedict said shortly after the Monday deadline to file an injunction the county will make the records available at the Clallam County Courthouse for Sheehan to inspect.
Benedict will be required to release pet owners names, the type of licenses, their addresses, phone number and dogs’ names.
He told commissioners that the county could try to block the request in court, but he fears the county could lose and cost taxpayers more money.
He said he’s received several emails each week from residents asking what is going on with the records request. Many, he said, thought the information they were providing was protected.
“People are upset that they are being compelled to provide this information and yet we’re not treating it as personal and private, which it probably should be,” Benedict said.
He has already sent letters to all 2,222 licensed dog and cat owners letting them know of the request.
Benedict believes pet licensing information should be exempt from the state Public Records Act and said he has talked with local lawmakers about the issue.
Benedict said he supports transparency and is happy to fill records requests, but he wants requesters to have a legitimate need for the information.
State Sen. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim, said Monday he believes there are privacy concerns with the request and no one is sure what Sheehan intends to do with the information.
Tharinger said it would be difficult to exempt animal licensing information from the Public Records Act, but suggested a judicial review for when “someone makes a categorical request that has an impact on privacy,” he said.
He said Benedict has a good point in questioning whether someone from Edmonds needs the personal information of every pet owner in the county.
“It’s an ongoing issue and I think the Legislature is looking at it,” he said.
State Rep. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, said Monday that the state Public Records Act needs work, but making specific exemptions isn’t the answer.
“I think to specifically make more exemptions would be more problematic,” he said. “I would like to see a process where the local government can work with the requester.”
He said local governments should be able to ask requesters why they want the information and to clarify exactly what records are needed.
Chapman said that as a pet owner, it’s troubling to see someone request the information of all the pet owners in the county.
“There’s got to be a reason someone wants that data,” he said. “We have to provide some relief because we have to protect people’s rights.”
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
