A Jack Russell terrier type dog (not pictured) was euthanized in a local pound last week because of his extremely aggressive behavior, according to 4LuvofDog.com, a Fargo dog rescue. Because of the dog’s aggression, he was considered by the pound to be ”unadoptable.”
My immediate reaction was shock. Was there really no one in the area capable of helping this dog? How can a group call themselves a rescue if they aren’t willing to rescue every dog? Why didn’t I help him?
My more logical self reminded me that I hadn’t volunteered to foster this dog even before I knew he was aggressive. I also realize dogs are euthanized every day, including healthy dogs, young dogs and friendly dogs. This dog was not friendly and probably not healthy either.
When is it acceptable to kill a dog due to aggression issues? Is it ever OK?
Obviously there is no correct answer. But sooner or later, anyone involved in dog rescue and even some who aren’t will play a part in making this choice.
My simplified answer: There are circumstances when the best choice is to kill the dog.
That being said, I also believe every dog can be rehabilitated to the point of living an almost normal and safe life. It’s just that resources are usually unavailable, the risk of a person getting injured is too great and more laws are out there banning dangerous dogs.
I admire 4 Luv of Dog Rescue for honestly posting info about the impounded terrier on its home page and admitting he would not be rescued. I’m sure the organization will get at least some negative feedback for this choice.
No other shelter or rescue group in the area stepped up to help the terrier either. Adopt-A-Pet of Fargo Moorhead did not. The F-M Humane Society did not. 4 Luv of Dog Rescue was the only group I am aware of that at least acknowledged the dog. 11/27/09 edit: The pound would not release this dog.
No one helped this dog, and everyone who is a true dog lover should feel at fault for the result.
Euthanizing an aggressive dog
My own parents – two of the world’s greatest dog lovers – had their aggressive spaniel “dealt with” when I was about 3 years old.
I’m not sure if Abby ever got a new home, but her chances were not good. Dog aggression is a serious issue, even more serious when a 3-year-old and a baby are at risk.
In his book “A Good Dog,” Jon Katz wrote about the intense bond he shared with one of his rescued border collies, Orson. Anyone who criticized Jon’s decision to euthanize Orson after the dog attacked multiple people is missing something.
Confinement, medical treatment and endless rehabilitation are always choices, but not necessarily options in the best interest of the dog or the people who love him. No dog is worth the life of a human.
As for the terrier supposedly euthanized in Fargo last week, he is one example of why more work needs to be done – more communication, more education, better information on training, on socialization, on exercise and adoption.
It’s not just the big dogs, the shepherd mixes and the pitbulls that end up as victims. It is every dog.
Do you believe it is right to euthanize an aggressive dog?
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November 24th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I’m torn on this issue because I haven’t had experience with dangerous dogs. But even one of the Vick dogs had to be euthanized. Even Nathan Winograd has written that there will always be psycho dogs. But a Jack Russell? I don’t want to think the dog was beyond redemption. I hope they exhausted every alternative and rescue organization.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
It’s certainly unfortunate if a dog has to be euthanized for something that could have been prevented by humans. The bigger problem is that most cases of neglect or poor training could have been prevented. Psychological damage can begin with poor breeding too. When there are thousands of healthy, happy, well-balanced dogs that are homeless due to humans, I cannot see keeping a dog alive under medication to calm it from being aggressive or dangerous. Who could say that those dogs that are so aggressive are truly happy being that way.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Thank you Jan and Valerie. I highly value your opinions.
November 24th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
That is very sad.
There are very very few dogs who are *born* mentally unstable and incapable of living safely with humans.
Most dogs who are aggressive became that way as a result of something people either did or did not do. I think that by the time you wanted people to step in and help in this situation, it really was too late. The time to help these dogs is *before* we get to this point in the story, and as you noted, that can only happen with more education (& perhaps better enforcement against puppymills & dangerous backyard breeders).
It is extremely time and labor intensive to rehabilitate an aggressive dog in the hopes that he or she will become “ok” or “near ok” to be around people. There are critical development stages, and if they were missed, you are always playing catch-up. Some dogs may never be safe with people. I understand that shelters have to care for many dogs, and that they simply don’t have the resources to even try with an aggressive dog in the hopes that he may get adopted. It is sad, but that doesn’t make it the fault of the people who care at this stage of the situation.
Two of the saddest tales I ever read were from Lisa Duffey-Korpics’s book “Tales from a Dog Catcher.” One was a family that insisted on euthanizing a dog of a family member who had died, even though someone was hoping to adopt the dog! The other was a family that was creating an unstable, aggressive dog, and the dog was repeatedly biting children. Ultimately, they replaced that dog with a new puppy, and never gave him a chance, even though he was not aggressive when outside that environment. Wow, did I cry when I heard about these poor dogs!
November 24th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
I maintain the 4luvofdog.com website. I had a very difficult time trying to determine what to post in regards to the status of that little Jack Russell terrier. But I felt that the truth needed to be told. What really upsets me is how easily his fate could have been different. Why didn’t the owner come looking for his dog? Why didn’t the owner put identification tags on his dog? Why didn’t the owner contain his dog in his own yard? I don’t know the dog’s exact story but I suspect he had been hit by a car (I do know he was taken to the emergency vet clinic) and was probably in pain and very scared. The dog may have been the sweetest dog ever but was probably too scared to allow anyone close to him. I do know that the gal who attempted to evaluate him tried very hard to get the little dog to trust her. The decision to let him go was not an easy one.
November 24th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Very, very good points, Shay. I will have to read the stories you mentioned from “Tales from a Dog Catcher.” I guarantee you I will cry as well!
Thank you, Patti. I’m glad you posted the truth about the Jack Russell.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:27 am
There was a time when I felt that any dog could be rehabilitated given enough time and under the proper care. I am of the opinion now that “enough time and proper care” are very limited resources.
After years of doing rescue, I am now of the opinion that many in the public have an incorrect view that rescues have problems and that’s why their people gave them up. This is very frustrating as so many of the dogs in rescue and in shelters are merely victims of circumstance beyond their control. They are perfectly nice pets.
Many years ago a person I knew who was involved in rescue told me that she wanted the dogs going through her rescue to be able to give rescue dogs a good name, not reinforce people’s perceptions that rescues came with overwhelming problems. I thought it was a little heartless at the time, but now I find myself agreeing with her.
While I am greatly saddened by the fact that so many dogs are being euthanized, I think rescues at times need to weigh carefully the uses of their often very limited resources and channel those to the most adoptable pets. Not that it isn’t with heavy hearts that they make these decisions.
I still stand by my opinion that these problems won’t be eliminated until individuals start taking responsibility for their own pets, not passing that off onto county shelters and rescue groups.
November 25th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Thanks, Marie. I’m with you, enough time and proper care are very limited resources. Even those who are heavily involved in rescue are not always the most experienced or trained when it comes to dogs. They are often just passionate animal lovers who don’t know what to do with a wild, scared or dangerous dog.
November 25th, 2009 at 11:22 am
HI!—I just want to let you guys know there is a website for Rat Terriers, terrier mixes, whatever called rat-terrier.com—They are all very loving people (I am also a member) and they try to do anything and everything to get rat terriers into a loving home and plenty of active fosters are on this page all day long in case you ever get another rat terrier in a situation like this!
I do beleive this dog could have been rehabilitated like the rest of you guys especially by someone that has had experience with many rat terrier fosters, it is sad that he had to be put to sleep but I also understand that it was hard to evaluate him and he could have had something terminal wrong with him too!
Just a sad story all around, and yes I know this happens every day!
November 25th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Thanks, Heather!
November 25th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Lindsay,
The book is very interesting, and, fortunately, some of the stories have happy endings too.
Marie,
I agree with you about dogs coming into rescue situations. That’s why I think it is so important that anyone who has adopted a dog from a shelter or a rescue situation should remember that your dog is an ambassador for other dogs in need of homes. It never stops to amaze me how many chances we get for that. We get stopped on the street when we’re just minding our business on a walk, or we wind up in conversations with people whom I’ve asked if we can approach (she’s very friendly and likes to say hi to everyone, so I’m on the look-out for good body language from people).
Nonetheless, there are still some people who are surprised at just how wonderful a dog can be, even though *someone* has surrendered her. The more you know, the more you realize how many dogs are surrendered for reasons that either have nothing to do with the dog (cost, relocation, etc.) or that have to do with obvious normal dog non-problems (dog got too big, dog needs exercise, etc.). But there are still a lot of people who don’t realize this. I view her good behavior & approachability as a great opportunity for us to help all those other dogs who still need a home, and I’m not shy about offering information on rescues.
At one local dog park that I go to, it’s funny how “came from a shelter/rescue” is a source of pride. Anyone new coming is immediately asked which shelter or rescue the dog came from!
November 26th, 2009 at 9:22 am
People around here are proud that they have a rescue dog as well. It’s almost looked down on if you got your dog from a breeder or a petshop.
November 26th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
On the subject of people not taking responsiblity for their dogs, I found a sad situation today. I take my dog running frequently in the country around Fargo, and today I noticed something that looked a little off on the side of the road, so I went to check it out, and it was a dead beagle mix dog. It appeared to be frozen to death as there was no trauma to it, no open wounds or anything like that. I wish I had found it earlier, before it was beyond help, but I guess that’s just not the way it is. I know people will take their dogs out to the country and just let them go when they don’t want them anymore…and that really doesn’t give a dog a fair chance at life. I hope that this dog did not suffer, and I also hope that people become smarter and realize that their actions directly affect the lives of their pets.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Ugh, that is so horrible. Unfortunately that is what happens. I feel bad for that dog and how it had to die all alone.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Just so everyone is clear– the pound that the Jack Russel was in refused to release the dog, due to his behavior. 4 Luv Of Dog Rescue had no choice in the matter, the evaluator (NOT a volunteer with 4 Luv Of Dog Rescue) made that decision.
Let’s all hope his story will educate people on the importance of properly caring for and identifying your pet. I would be horrified if one of my dogs had to meet an end like that JRT, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Amy, thank you for clarifying that info.
November 29th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
In my entire career of training dogs I’ve recommended euthanasia in only one case. The dog obviously had a chemical imbalance that didn’t allow him to process stress like other dogs. A dog’s capacity for training depends on their ability to process stress and as a result this dog had very little potential for improvement.
The truth is that the main resource in rehabbing these dogs is EXPERTISE, not necessarily time or effort or a good attitude.
I don’t want this to come across as boastful but I don’t think I’ve ever had an aggressive dog (except for the previous mentioned one) come to stay with me that hasn’t been turned around in a couple days and couldn’t be considered a very low risk. It’s completely dependent on me, though, and that is where I have to work heavily with clients to make sure that they adjust how they interact with their dog.
Once you develop the expertise to fix a dog like this it is quite simple. The bleak truth, though, is that most rescues, foster families, adopting families, etc. don’t have this expertise which is why I can’t fault an organization like this for finding themselves forced to euthanize a dog that seems like a difficult case of aggression.
It’s tough to know where the answer is. Is it in better training education for rescues? Is it better education for dog owners who are typically the ones creating these problems for rescues to clean up? Is it in the education of the people breeding these animals? I think the answer lies in better education for everyone dealing with man’s best friend.
Good post, very thought provoking.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Thanks for your input, Ty. Thanks for pointing out the fact that EXPERTISE is the key link that is usually missing when it comes to rescuing or rehabilitating dogs. I often see a problem in rescues where the people are very dedicated dog lovers but they don’t understand dog behavior very well. Sometimes this is a scary combination, especially when there are multiple dogs in one area.
November 30th, 2009 at 2:48 am
I don’t like it when people act surprised that it was a JRT that was euthed. I don’t believe in breed discrimination and to imply that a JRT has less of a chance of being aggressive than say a Pit is incorrect in my opinion. Out of all the Bad Newz Kennel dogs (Vick dogs) there were 69, only two had to be euthed. Pits also scored higher than Beagles in temprament tests and actually came in second with the Goldon Retriever coming in first. I had a Cocker Spaniel as a kid that had to be put down because he was aggressive to strangers and actually bit a child. This was not our choice it was forced upon us by the local authorities. I do believe and with the Vick dogs as living proof that most dogs can be rehabilitated into adoptable pets. My first dog as an adult is a rescued Black Lab mix, he just had his fourth birthday, and I currently foster a Yellow Lab mix who is an amazing animal. I also rescued an English Pointer who had been dumped off on the highway almost 2 years ago. Luckily he was found in time to be helped (I wish the Beagle would have been) although he was on deaths doorstep and nothing but a skeleton I was able to rehabilitate him from a wild dog into a loving family pet. He now lives like a king with my brother and his wife.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:42 am
It’s very sad anytime a dog has to be euthanized. I’m a
volunteer at my local ASPCA in Oklahoma which has a no kill policy. We had in the past a great dane that was so abused he was unplaceable. Our manager of operations was the only one there who could handle the dog. She personally adopted the dog where he will live out the remainder of his life in a good home. A truly “red zone” dog as Caesar puts it is very hard to rehabilitate;it breaks my heart when they are euthanized as people made the dog that way.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Thanks, Sarah. I’m assuming you are referring to Jan’s comment that she was surprised this dog was a Jack Russell. I don’t think she was implying anything about pitbulls, just pointing out the fact that this was such a small dog. If you check out her blog (http://thepoodleanddogblog.typepad.com/), you will find that she is quite the pitbull cheerleader.
Thanks for reminding me not to judge a dog by its size. I was surprised that a Jack Russell could be considered so dangerous, and I question the decision to kill him. I realize small dogs are just as likely (or more likely) to be aggressive, but when they bite they do less damage.
Glad to hear you rescued that pointer!
November 30th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Thanks for your comment, Clifford,
It’s scary when dangerous dogs are living in regular homes. I am glad that dane has a safe home with someone who loves him, but I also hope that his new owner will find the right trainer to work with the dog so he can learn to live like a normal dog and not be a threat to someone’s safety.
And now I will judge a dog by its breed: An aggressive great dane is a bit scarier than an aggressive Jack Russell.
December 20th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I think it should be known, though, that 4luvofdog rescue is one of few rescues that does not discriminate breeds (ie, pitbulls). They do a great job of placing dogs in responsible homes. I think instead of “shaming” 4luvofdog rescue for being unable to save this one dog, in which the pound made the decision to euthanize, we should be thanking them for all the work they do in saving many, many others.
December 20th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I admire 4 Luv of Dog Rescue for taking in so many pitbulls, senior dogs and injured or sick dogs. 4 Luv of Dog Rescue is not responsible or at fault for the death of this Jack Russell terrier. The community as a whole is at fault.