Cocoa the Weiner Dog Deemed Vicious; Ankeny Officials Deny Request for Leniency

, another Ankeny dog isn’t getting a second chance from the city.

At a special meeting Monday night, Ankeny City Council members unanimously decided to uphold a vicious animal order issued to Ankeny resident Kimberly Abbey after her five-year-old miniature dachshund, Cocoa, bit two girls on separate occasions.

“I’ll take any kind of financial responsibility and the treatment. I will be responsible for that – that’s fine,” Abbey told council members prior to the decision. “But I don’t think my dog is vicious.”

Abbey appeared before the council to appeal the vicious animal order issued to her on April 26 by the city. The order came after separate incidents involving Cocoa occurred in March and April.

On March 24, responded to Abbey’s home in the 3000 block of Southwest Butternut Drive for a report of a dog bite.

According to police reports, Abbey told police Cocoa bit 14-year-old Courtney Kirkman, who was going door-to-door in the neighborhood selling items for a fundraiser. Kirkman later verified Abbey’s account of the incident.

Kirkman suffered bites to her left inner thigh.

Abbey was ordered to quarantine Cocoa for 10 days following the incident. Abbey complied and the dog was quarantined in her home, according to police reports.

Police again went to Abbey’s home on April 15 for another dog bite report.  According to police reports, 15-year-old Barbara Kastine was at Abbey’s home with Abbey’s two grandsons. When they entered the house through the garage door, Cocoa ran up to Kastine and bit her on her right inner thigh.

The report also said Abbey told police Cocoa did not like Kastine and everyone present was “well aware of that fact.”

According to the police report, Kastine did not immediately seek medical attention. However, at Monday’s meeting, Kastine’s mother, Barb, appeared before council members and told them her daughter was treated and placed on antibiotics.

Abbey appeared before the council Monday night to appeal the vicious animal order and convince council members that Cocoa is, in fact, not vicious.

“The first one was a stranger who came into my yard,” Abbey said. “We resolved it, she left the premises and we settled things.”

The second time, however, Abbey said the victim was not supposed to be at her house.

“I already told her to leave my house long before,” Abbey said. “The dog wasn’t secure because I didn’t expect her to be there.”

Abbey said the second victim and her family never asked for assistance.

“It seems strange I should lose my dog over something she didn’t make a problem until after I made it clear she could not be in my house or around my grandson,” Abbey said. “She knows Cocoa doesn’t like her and she didn’t take any precautions either.”

Community Service Officer Kristina Lemon issued the vicious animal order. When Lemon arrived at Abbey’s house, Cocoa was tied up outside on a chain about 10 to 15 feet long. According to her report, Cocoa immediately came after Lemon, growling and barking, before Abbey restrained the dog.

The council will re-issue the violent animal order by 5 p.m. today. Abbey will then have three days to remove Cocoa from the city or have the dog euthanized.

Abbey couldn’t be reached for comment following the council meeting.