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Residents describe dog attack at river trail, urge Susanville City to act on encampments
Summary
At a city council meeting residents described a dog attack and unsafe conditions on the river trail near the new courthouse, urging the city and county to address trash, encampments and policing; the mayor directed staff to contact the principal commenter for follow-up.
Residents pressed the city to act after a Valentine’s Day incident on the river trail left a local woman and her dog injured.
Donna Morlaney, who identified herself as a nearby resident, told the council that while walking the river trail with her husband and their dog Molly, three large dogs attacked. Two emergency responders and police were called, Morlaney said, and she was treated at a hospital; Molly required veterinary surgery and the family has paid roughly $2,500 in costs so far. “It was horrible,” Morlaney said, recounting that rescuing the dog took 10 minutes.
Dana Eastwood, who said she has been a lifelong resident, told the council she supports Morlaney and emphasized the trail’s importance to families and youth sports: “It was built for our citizens to walk on, where kids ride their bikes and skateboards,” Eastwood said, adding that the current conditions make the trail unsafe for Little League and the community.
Misty Shepherd, another resident commenter, cautioned that finding a single location to place people experiencing homelessness could create liability issues and urged council members to find a balanced solution.
Mayor (transcript label Speaker 1) told staff to follow up directly: “I would like to direct staff to contact… just contact her, please.” Council members agreed to request staff research jurisdictional boundaries along the river corridor and report back on enforcement options and possible coordination with the county.
Why it matters: Councilors said the trail’s safety affects children, recreation events and general public use, and several members flagged that portions of the trail fall outside city limits, which complicates enforcement and cleanup.
What happens next: The mayor directed staff to contact Morlaney to discuss the incident and next steps; council asked staff to prepare a report on jurisdictional authority and possible enforcement or partnership options with the county at a future meeting.
