Quote: cat richter

They attacked a woman and sent her to the hospital with a bite to the arm and face.

Cat - I'm going to note that using the title "Innocent dogs on death row" for this thread was totally inappropriate in view of the fact that the dogs injured a person badly enough to send them to the hospital.

Cat-I used to work for a vet. We had a case like yours with two Great Danes that used to board with us almost every month. The whole staff at the hospital grew to love these two dogs. They too had bit people on three separate occasions, that was their last straw. Somehow, I have no clue how, the owner got them to let her bring the dogs to her vet (us) to be put down with an animal control officer as a witness. The whole office staff piled into that room, all of us crying just as hard as the owner. We did not think it was fair to the dogs we had all known and loved, but we all knew they could not be let back into society. We said our goodbyes, knowing at that point nothing more could be done. I am telling you this because as much as you care for these dogs, and as much as you may believe in them, you, or anyone else can not say it will never happen again. And how would you feel if they did that to a child next time. With dogs that size, they wouldn't be as lucky, if you can call it that. That said, I am very sorry for the pain you will feel when this is over.

You need to learn to distance yourself or stop working at a shelter. I've worked at a shelter recently and those that have behavioral problems I don't deal with other than to feed and water because I know their chances of being killed are high. You KNEW these dogs are going to be killed. Don't push it with them. If you can't deal with that then you don't belong in a shelter. There are just too many nice trainable dogs out there that are sitting in shelters to bend over backwards for dogs that have already shown they have an aggressive side. In general, if the average idiot couldn't safely handle a dog it shouldn't be adopted out to ANYONE. It should be PTS so the shelter doesn't have to waste anymore of their resources on it. I hated seeing dogs come in that were going to be euthanized for aggression that were actually great dogs but you have to understand that the shelter only has so many kennels and so much money to help the animals. If they spend all their resources on special cases there won't be any left to help the dogs getting dumped on them. They will have to tell people they're full and then Animal Control or another high kill rate shelter has to take them and most likely kill them due to lack of space. Or people start dumping them on the streets and hoping that they'll be okay.

Put it in perspective. Save 1 and kill 10 or save 10 and kill 1?

Good point, Cathy.

Tough situation. I volunteered at a city animal shelter a couple years ago, and it's not easy. This was also a fairly high kill shelter. I just had to put in my mind when I went to visit and give treats that hopefully I could bring a moment of happiness to the animals.

I know how you feel. My heart breaks to read stories like this.

Wow, this really stinks. There is something an old dog guy I knew told me and it has always stuck with me, he said "It is not the dogs fault, but it is the dogs problem."

******sigh******

Hello fellow Richmondite.

Just out of curiosity, are these dogs as the BCSPCA "adoption site" or the RAPS shelter?

You say the one dog is fearful... well that translates into fear aggression. Maybe the root of the aggression is from another source, but even if that is the case you will still have to deal with aggression. Just as a wolf must endure the wilderness to survive, a domestic dog has be able to safely coexist with people. It is not a question of whether the dog or wolf "deserves" to live or die, but whether they can fufill their "biological destiny." The dog is a big dog, has a temperament prone to aggression and has actually attacked, and seriously at that. You say the man cannot control his sweet dogs. Other kinds of aggression can be subdued and redirected to a point. It is very hard to control a dog that feels it is threatened to the point that it must defend itself with aggression. Granted, he should have known better than to put the dog into that situation.

When walking my shepherd I've had little kids run up to him, not knowing any better. Parent's fault? Yes. But they would've had a bite taken out of their face if my dog was fearful and aggressive. I know you said you haven't seen any aggression but you also haven't had the dogs out in public. If you somehow saved this dog, how would you expect to live with it? Walk it? What happens when people are over?

Cathy's post was great.

As others have said, don't get attached and let the city deal with it. If you really want to save an big "deserving" dog there are plenty of them around that will

a) be able to live full lives (like going for a normal, relaxed walk)
b) not cost you any extra grief
c) not endanger other people
and
d) not give big, powerful dogs a bad name. This is important. When you take a breed that is the target of BSL you should make sure that everyone who sees it is left with a good impression. Anything else is doing big dog owners and their dogs a disservice.

C'est la vie.

All good advice. work at a no kill shelter so I dont have to distance myself as much. Its amazing to find that there is truly a home for every dog, if you just wait long enough, even the "unadoptables". Alexandra the case is very hush hush but feel free to pm me . I agree with everything you said but I love this dog and I cant help but want to save her, even if I shouldnt. She is such an amazing dog, still acts like a puppy. I guess I feel like every dog deserves a second chance, that every dog can be saved. Im constantly baffled daily by the sheer ignorance and lack of moral responsibility in this world. And they arent the ones who pay, the dogs are, grrrr. Im venting now, so thanks again for the advice and support.

 Quote: Cat Richter

Im venting now, so thanks again for the advice and support.

It's important to find somebody you can vent at or cry on that won't take it personally. Bottling it up all the time is no good. Animal rescue is very hard emotionally.