Parole Talks Set for Ugly the Pit Bull

Despite a pit bullterrier owner’s failure to post bond, San Clemente will begin negotiating terms of release today for Ugly, a dog that had faced a possible death sentence after killing another dog at the city’s animal shelter on July 13.

An injunction staying Ugly’s execution was issued July 17 by Superior Court Commissioner Julian Cimbaluk--provided that the dog’s owner, Kyeli Beckmann of San Clemente, post a $10,000 bond by July 22. The bond was never posted, and the restraining period ended that day, San Clemente Assistant City Atty. Jeffrey Goldfarb said Monday.

Up to Shelter Officials

Now the dog’s fate rests with shelter officials, who initially said they would not release the dog until Beckmann had posted a $100,000 bond or an insurance policy covering that sum and had taken other measures to make sure that attacks by the dog would not be repeated, Goldfarb said.

He would not detail the talks or say whether those demands could be eased.

When the controversy over Ugly first broke out, San Clemente Fire Chief Tom Dailey, speaking for the animal shelter, had said the dog was vicious and should never be returned to its owner. Beckmann had been given just three days to produce the $100,000 bond; provide an enclosure strong enough to contain the dog; arrange a permanent identification, such as a tattoo, to be placed on the dog, and pay the $15 impounding fee, plus $5 for each day the dog had been impounded.

But since the issue went to court, San Clemente officials have been flexible about a deadline and have delayed enforcing their demands.

City Not Relenting

“We are doing everything we can not to kill the dog,” Goldfarb said, adding that “the city is not letting up one bit” on its demand that adequate safety measures be taken before the dog is released.

San Clemente Animal Shelter officers impounded Ugly on July 12 when they received reports that the dog and Skinny, another of Beckmann’s dogs, were behaving aggressively while chained to the bed of Beckmann’s truck in San Clemente, Animal Services Officer Marc Lemieux said.

Beckmann got Skinny back, but shelter officials transferred Ugly to the Orange County Animal Shelter in Orange after he scaled two six-foot fences to kill a sheepdog.