PUPPY LOVE; WOMAN'S SPIRITS LIFTED WITH CHANCE TO REPLACE SLAIN PET.Byline: Amy Collins Daily News Staff Writer Its eyes clenched clench tr.v. clenched, clench·ing, clench·es 1. To close tightly: clench one's teeth; clenched my fists in anger. 2. shut, the newborn Chihuahua pup was a small handful Tuesday, but big enough to fill the void torn in Flossie ``Jackie'' Torgerson's heart exactly a month ago when a boa constrictor boa constrictor largest of all snakes; squeezes its victims in a deadly grip. [Zoology: NCE, 317] See : Deadliness ate her dog, Babette. ``I want another one, there's no doubt about that,'' said Torgerson, who got to hold the puppies for the first time since Alissss the serpent ate her dog. ``You can't expect too many like Babette,'' said the 74-year-old West Hills woman. ``She was really exceptional in so many ways. She had an excellent coat of hair, and that pretty little face and a sweet, loving nature.'' Cuddling with Babette's two half-sisters (they all share the same father, Calypso Calypso, in Greek mythology Calypso (kəlĭp`sō), nymph, daughter of Atlas, in Homer's Odyssey. She lived on the island of Ogygia and there entertained Odysseus for seven years. ), Torgerson now has five to eight weeks to decide which one she wants to take home. But while Torgerson bubbled with the prospects of owning a new Chihuahua, the ostracized snake remained behind bars in the city animal shelter "Dog Pound" redirects here. For the rap group, see Tha Dogg Pound. An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats. in Chatsworth. Its owner, Angus Johnson, is having a more difficult time reaching closure in this case. ``I'm still wishing I had Alissss,'' Johnson said. Animal control officials said they will donate the snake to a zoo if Johnson doesn't find a home for it outside the city. An attorney has volunteered his services to persuade the city to return Alissss to Johnson, who rescued the Colombian red tail boa from a bad owner in Alabama in 1990. Alissss was confiscated con·fis·cate tr.v. con·fis·cat·ed, con·fis·cat·ing, con·fis·cates 1. To seize (private property) for the public treasury. 2. To seize by or as if by authority. See Synonyms at appropriate. adj. Aug. 9, the day when the boa swallowed Babette as she walked out onto Torgerson's patio. Since then, Johnson has visited his 7-1/2-foot boa at the animal shelter in hopes of one day being reunited. At one point, officials told him he could have the snake back if he paid the necessary fee, so Johnson, a struggling musician, pawned his only guitar and amplifier. But about 30 minutes after he took custody of Alissss, animal control officials returned to his house, apologized for the mistake, and took the boa back to the city cage. Johnson's attorney R. Jeffrey Ward contends that taking the boa back and revoking Johnson's animal control permit without a hearing is against the law. In a Sept. 8 letter to the city, Ward said he plans to sue the city in order to get the snake returned. In an interview Tuesday, he said he also will sue for emotional distress emotional distress n. an increasingly popular basis for a claim of damages in lawsuits for injury due to the negligence or intentional acts of another. Originally damages for emotional distress were only awardable in conjunction with damages for actual physical harm. and damages. Peter Persic, spokesman for the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Department of Animal Regulation, had only one thing to say about Johnson's hope to take Alissss to his home in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. : No. He said Johnson had only tentative approval to take Alissss home after officials at the shelter recommended he be allowed to keep his snake. The department's general manager then declined to issue a permit, Persic said. Johnson said Tuesday that he believes the city has singled him out because the case has garnered so much media attention. Other people's animals have killed or injured animals and not faced the same banishment banishment: see exile. Banishment Acadians America’s lost tribe; suffered expulsion under British. [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 2; Am. Lit. , he said. In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile , both Torgerson and Johnson have petitions to further their causes. Johnson said he has signatures of about 650 people who say he should get his snake back and Torgerson has more than 200 signatures from people who back her drive to have all snakes banned as pets in Los Angeles neighborhoods. Her issue is tentatively set to be discussed by the city's Animal Services Commission on Sept. 29, Persic said. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1 -- color) Flossie ``Jackie'' Torgerson will get her choice of two newborn Chihuahuas. Terri Thuente/Daily News (2) Flossie ``Jackie'' Torgerson of West Hills, holding a picture of Babette, may soon have a puppy to replace the dog a boa killed. David R. Crane/Daily News |
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