SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

‘Hank’ the pit bull goes home a free dog

Oct 19, 2017, 12:58 PM

(KIRO 7)...

(KIRO 7)

(KIRO 7)

Remember Hank? The dog on death row?

Hank’s owner, Jann Propp-Estimo, told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson her furry baby gets to live after five months of court battles.

RELATED: No one wants Hank the dog to die, so why will he be euthanized?

Hank and his dog mom were sent to the shelter in Lewis County after accusations the dogs attacked livestock. The farm owner cleared Hank’s name and even produced video evidence of Hank’s innocence, according to the defense attorney. The shelter didn’t want to see Hank die, so it renamed him and adopted him out to Jann.

Jann choked up and told Dori she fell in love with Hank the moment she saw him at the shelter.

“He had a stuffed toy in his mouth and he was wagging his tail,” she said. “He looked up at me with those eyes and I said this is the dog. He was the only one that wasn’t barking.”

She said she had no idea of Hank’s past until a Lewis County judge determined Hank a dangerous dog and ordered he be put down. Jann said she visited her dog every day the shelter was open, talked about her day and took selfies with him.

This week, a judge voided the euthanasia order and ordered that Jann and her family could keep Hank. She thanked everyone on Facebook, Change.org, and GoFundMe for their support.

“So many people were praying for Hank and I do believe that’s what set him free,” Jann said.

Hank returned home a free dog on Wednesday.

FILE - McDonald's Golden Arches signs are seen, March 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Do...

Associated Press

McDonald’s sued over AI tool that recommends prices to US franchisees

McDonald’s is facing a federal lawsuit that alleges its AI-enhanced pricing tool violates antitrust laws because it shares nonpublic data with franchisees who might be competing in the same market. The lawsuit, which was filed Friday in Illinois, said McDonald’s pricing tool uses artificial intelligence to collect data that competing franchises wouldn’t normally share, like […]

14 minutes ago

FILE - Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., gestures during a news conference, Aug. 24, 2026, in Columbia, ...

Associated Press

Republicans to spend $5 million in South Carolina Senate race as Trump plans trip there

WASHINGTON (AP) — The primary Senate Republican super PAC is sending reinforcements to deep red South Carolina as President Donald Trump prepares to travel there to boost Sen. Darline Graham. The Senate Leadership Fund is putting $5 million in the state to shore up Graham, who was appointed this summer as an interim replacement for […]

18 minutes ago

FILE - The seal of the Central Intelligence Agency is displayed on April 13, 2016, at CIA headquart...

Associated Press

Former CIA official accused of stealing $40M in gold bars pleads guilty

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former senior CIA official pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Virginia to a charge that he abused his position and government funds to enrich himself by acquiring Florida real estate and hundreds of gold bars worth tens of millions of dollars, according to court records. David J. Rush fabricated a “highly classified” […]

24 minutes ago

BC school shooting...

Julia Dallas

Bellingham man charged with conspiring to commit murder in connection with BC school shooting

A 30-year-old man from Bellingham was charged with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with a BC school shooting.

39 minutes ago

cle elum burglaries business...

JASON SLOSS, KIRO 7

Cle Elum businesses targeted in burglaries

Multiple local businesses in Cle Elum were targeted in a series of overnight burglaries early last Thursday morning.

44 minutes ago

plague...

John Curley Show

‘No need to worry, everybody’: Curley skeptical of Russian assurances after lab worker’s suspected plague death

A lab worker's mysterious death raises concerns about Russia's handling of plague threats and public health safety.

46 minutes ago

‘Hank’ the pit bull goes home a free dog