Clallam pet licensing info to be released after no one takes court action

PORT ANGELES — Without an injunction filed against the release of pet licensing information, Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict said he is prepared to fulfill a records request for the information.

Benedict had hoped a resident would file for an injunction with the Clallam County Superior Court but said Tuesday nothing had been filed.

He told William Sheehan of Edmonds, who made the request July 31, that he can come to the Clallam County Courthouse to see the records.

The request was to “make available upon inspection any and all documents that will show all of the licensed pets in Clallam County, including license numbers, owner information and all other pertinent information.”

Sheehan has said he has no plans for the information until he reviews it.

Benedict said he is required to release pet owners’ names, the type of licenses, addresses, phone numbers and dogs’ names.

He sent letters earlier this month to all 2,222 licensed dog and cat owners letting them know of the request. He suspended the program after a previous request but has since reinstated it.

Sheehan has a history of posting lists of police officers’ addresses, home phone numbers and Social Security numbers, The New York Times wrote in 2003.

Sheehan also has made four other broad records requests to the Sheriff’s Office and Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Sheehan has asked the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to make available for inspection “any and all” documents providing information about all employees, agents and temporary workers, including phone numbers, compensation, employee files and personal records. He made a similar request to the Sheriff’s Office.

He also requested “any records that show terminated employees in the last 5 years and any records you may have that will lead to the requested data, including all cell phone records.”

Sheehan also has asked the Sheriff’s Office to provide “any and all” records that show where money collected for the pet licensing program goes and how much money was collected for the entire life of the program.

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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.

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