(Another dog murdered)

INDEPENDENT COAST OBSERVER

Volume 31, # 37
Gualala, California

Dec.10,1999

DOGS SHOT AT PARROT FARM
By Julie Verran

Sometime Sunday night someone shot Pounce dead on Barbara and Geoffrey Gould's parrot farm in Point Arena.

The black chow's body was found under the Gould's three grandchildren's window with a bullet behind the ear.

" I rescued that dog," said Barbara. "I was the only person that dog would touch." Pounce was confined behind an electric fence.

Baby, another black chow rescued from a ditch as a puppy, was shot dead on the parrot farm about two months ago. The Goulds did not report that incident, but they called in the Sheriff for this one.

Sheriff 's Captain Kevin Broin told the ICO that he assigned Detective Dave Fletcher to the case, which he termed far-reaching. He said they are not sure whether it is connected with some history regarding the parrot farm and a nearby turkey breeding farm leased by the Nicholas firm from the Stornetta family.

The Nicholas operation moved out its PA stock, citing health problems with parrots. Broid said that Nicholas has been trying to get out of the lease with the Stornettas for some time.

Geoffrey Gould sent an e-mail Tuesday to David Colfax citing danger to his family and asking Colfax to abandon his neutral stance.

Late Tuesday at the Board of Supervisors meeting Colfax made his public response.

He asked the board to set a special meeting on December 20 to hear the Gould's appeal of a cease and desist order from the county planning department. Colfax said that the Stornettas say their tenant wants the 100+ parrots removed from the Gould's farm by December 31"or he is out of there."

The Goulds' attorney had told the county he was not available until the end of January, Colfax said. Without a speedy resolution, the county would be damaged by the loss of 10 jobs in Point Arena, he added.

County Counsel J. Peter Klein said it was his understanding that the county and the Stornettas would go into court to enforce the restraining order against the Goulds. There was some discussion weighing the risks of litigation.