Two separate dog bite cases reached the same conclusion Monday, as the Storm Lake City Council upheld removal orders for both animals following police testimony on escalating risks.
The council affirmed City Manager Keri Navratil’s June 17 declarations after two appeal hearings that drew detailed accounts from officers, witnesses and the dog owners.
The first case involved Simba, a German Shepherd mix owned by Paola Martinez. The council revisited a 2020 incident in which Simba attacked a 6-year-old boy on Lake Avenue. Lt. Jeff Lundberg told the council the child fell off a trampoline and Simba jumped out of a chain‑link kennel.
He said the boy suffered two major head wounds requiring 35 staples, and that Simba was so aggressive during quarantine that Lake Animal Hospital staff could not safely handle him for 10 days.
Police then described a new incident involving Simba on June 16 of this year, when officers responded to a 911 call on West Ninth Street. Chief Chris Cole said officers initially thought they were responding to a domestic disturbance, but quickly realized the situation involved an aggressive dog on a porch. Simba remained aggressive as Cole arrived at the address.
Cole said the dog repeatedly tried to force its way into a home where residents were sheltering inside, and officers blocked off the street for public safety. After pepper spray and two tranquilizer darts, officers were finally able to secure the dog using a catch pole.
Assistant Chief Patrick Diekman added that Martinez had a prior dog‑at‑large offense in 2023 involving a different aggressive dog.
Martinez told the council through a translator that the dog had been trained and kept indoors, but acknowledged her yard was not fenced and that Simba escaped through a window. After deliberation, the council voted unanimously to affirm Navratil’s order requiring Simba to be removed from Storm Lake.
The second hearing involved Pinta, a black‑and‑white pit bull mix owned by Andrea Salazar. Police say the dog bit an 8‑year‑old girl on June 15 while she was playing outside her home on West Ninth Street. Officer Caleb Villhauer told the council the bite punctured the child’s skin.
He said the owners failed to provide proof of rabies vaccination or a city dog license, and that the household had prior citations earlier this year for dog at large and lack of immunizations. The victim’s mother read a letter saying her family had forgiven the incident and did not want the dog put down, but understood the city manager’s recommendation that the animal be removed from Storm Lake.
The council again voted unanimously to affirm Navratil’s order.
Under Storm Lake’s dangerous and vicious animal ordinance, both dogs must now be relocated outside city limits. Written decisions will be filed with the city clerk and provided to the owners within three days.
