Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008

Family that lost cat receives kittens

By the Herald staff

The family holding onto a stray dog after it mortally wounded their cat received about 100 calls Tuesday from people offering to give them cats to replace the one they lost.

The family, Phil and Marissa Schmitt and their four boys, accepted two kittens Tuesday morning and doesn't need any more, Phil Schmitt said.

But the family still has the dog and hopes to find someone who will take it.

The former owner who had an identification chip put in the dog contacted the Schmitts to explain his side of the story. The man said he originally got her from the pound and also had her vaccinated and spayed, Schmitt said.

But he couldn't housebreak the dog, and it killed a cat that belonged to his girl-friend, so he tried to give her away.

About six people responded to his ad, but the dog -- a Labrador mix -- looked like a pit bull, so they weren't interested. Finally, a couple who said they were from a farm near Walla Walla said they would take it, the man told Schmitt.

Schmitt said he believes the dog was dumped on property he rents north of Pasco sometime Sunday evening.