Accused Cat Wins $125,000 Settlement Against Illegal Trespassing Charges in Bellevue, Washington

Miska the tabby cat just won a $125,000 settlement after being charged with illegal trespassing in a neighborhood in the city of Bellevue in King County, Washington. Evidently, the settlement money has been received by the cat's owner who demands a complete revamp of existing policies in the city.

Illegal Trespassing Case

(Photo : Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

A Bellevue woman named Anna Danieli is the owner of Miska, who has been alleged to be a notorious and vicious cat by its accusers, who were responsible for filling the illegal trespassing charges against the cat. However, Danieli's legal counsel Attorney Jon Zimmerman and Attorney Jeffrey Possinger argued that the feline was a loving pet.

The settlement, being under an unusual case, can be considered historic due to the involvement of a cat in an official legal case in the state of Washington, according to Atty. Zimmerman, as cited by Fox 13 Seattle.

The lawyer added that when the case was filed, over 30 violations were issued against Miska and its owner. Atty. Zimmerman emphasized that no other cat has been given as many citations in Bellevue or King County of such magnitude.

Prior to the historic settlement, Danieli first knew about the case when Miska was taken away by animal control and she received fines amounting to thousands of US dollars. The cat was temporarily confined at the King County kitty jail.

Also Read: Do Your Cats Intentionally Wake You Up in the Wee Hours After Midnight? Here's How to Avoid That

Conflict of Interest

Although the case pertains to the cat, the civil case is automatically directed to an animal's owner. This is evident in most cases when an owner's pet is causing disruption or life-threatening risks to the neighborhood.

However, once thought to be a 'normal neighborhood dispute', the turning point for the case emerged when Danieli and the cat's legal team discovered later during the legal process that one of the accusers or complainants had a connection to local animal control, says Atty. Possinger.

The discovery highlights a serious conflict of interest. This is due to the case filed was done by an animal control manager, who filed his own complaints purportedly because the Bellevue cat simply lived in his neighborhood, according to Atty. Zimmerman, as cited by Fox 13 Seattle.

Both attorneys reportedly hope the lawsuit would pave the way for more transparency for pet owners. Wherein in the case of Miska, the owner's family is clueless that the neighbor complainant was the head of the local animal control.

Request for Policy Change

One of the key takeaways of the illegal trespassing case was the owner and her legal team's call for policy change, specifically the placement of a 'conflict of interest policy' which would allow the accused party to know the identity and background of the complainant.

Miska, domestic cats, and other animals in the state are protected under the statewide laws and statutes of the Washington State Legislature and the nationwide Animal Welfare Act (AWA) of the United States. However, the City of Bellevue and King County have their own local laws when it comes to civil offenses involving animals.