Miska The Cat Wins In Court

BELLEVUE, WA — Bellevue's most headline-capturing cat has come out with a victory in court, following a lengthy battle across jurisdictions, culminating with three years of litigation in Pierce County. This week, the owner of Bellevue's "most persecuted tabby" secured a $125,000 settlement.

The origins of the court battle stretch back to 2014, after Regional Animal Services of King County issued multiple citations alleging Miska trespassed on neighbors' property, "taunted" other pets, and was responsible for considerable mischief. Miska's owner, Anna Danieli, said she was handed more than $30,000 in fines for nearly three dozen alleged violations.

Danieli's lawyers alleged the city and the county's actions were improper and noted that at least one of the people who filed complaints was also the head of the animal services agency. The lawsuit included claims of civil rights violations and sought funds to reimburse considerable costs. The case wound its way through U.S. District Court, the state Court of Appeals, and Pierce County Superior Court.

Danieli's legal team said the victory was a success in more ways than one, securing a cash settlement along with court orders to change Bellevue's city code relating to alleged civil infractions involving animals.

"There may be recourse for other citizens who have been impacted by the same or similar incidents," said Jeffrey Possinger, an attorney for Danieli, in a statement Wednesday. "From the start, we advocated for real change and transparency in government. Not every case has wins that are tangible or simple, so achieving something very meaningful for our client and the Bellevue community is rewarding."

Another condition of the settlement requires county and city officials to meet with Danieli and learn more about her experience to help inform more improvements to policies in the future.