What the hell did you expect!?

[AmbrosiaWriter]

I'm sorry. I'm so very pissed off at the moment.

I now work at an Animal Hospital that is a combination general practice and urgent care. I work mainly in urgent care (AKA ER for pets.)

This owner just came in with his beautiful blue nose pitt. This pitt has attacked three dogs on three separate occasions. We typically don't euthanized otherwise healthy dogs (we first direct them to any other number of solutions that range from training, to seeing a behaviorist, to rehoming the dog with someone who can handle said dog.)

In going through the questions about the 2-year-old dog, I ask, "Is he neutered?"
"Nope."


.....WAT?!

You mean to tell me that after this beautiful dog attacked the first dog, you didn't think that MAYBE fixing him would solve this ENTIRE problem? This guy has had dogs before (I've seen them in the file) and his girlfriend works in the vet field.

I seriously DOUBT that NEITHER of them were aware that dogs left "intact" can become dangerously aggressive. It doesn't matter what the breed, if you leave those testicles on the testosterone will start to tell the dog "Hey, you need to breed and need to stake out your territory for your females and puppies. GO GO GO."

I am. So. Mad.

So mad.

MAD.

And, as I am typing this... I find out that the dog is going to be euthanized. I've gone beyond rage and am now overcome with sorrow. I might cry.

I have dealt with owners having to put down animals they love, but never dealt with something like this that is due to straight up negligence and apathy. I'm so upset that this beautiful, healthy dog is going to die.

...

[Rageaholic]

Wait, who's decision is it to Euthanize the dog? Is it the owner or the state? Either way, if they know that the problem will likely be fixed by taking Bob Barker's advice, why can't they just do that instead of resorting to lethal means?

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Wait, who's decision is it to Euthanize the dog? Is it the owner or the state? Either way, if they know that the problem will likely be fixed by taking Bob Barker's advice, why can't they just do that instead of resorting to lethal means?

It was the owner's decision.

I don't know why they didn't decide to do that instead, that's why I'm so upset about this entire ordeal.

This dog would probably still be alive right now, and happy, if the owner's had him fixed at the first signs of aggression. But they didn't. They let him attack not one, but THREE dogs, and then decided he was too much/too dangerous and just had him put down.

That's what has me so angry.

[fireheart17]

Wait, who's decision is it to Euthanize the dog? Is it the owner or the state? Either way, if they know that the problem will likely be fixed by taking Bob Barker's advice, why can't they just do that instead of resorting to lethal means?

Also neutering an animal does not come cheap. (unless there's a program that runs low-cost neutering programs)

He probably thought "I don't have the money to do this, it'll be cheaper to put him down." -.-

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Also neutering an animal does not come cheap. (unless there's a program that runs low-cost neutering programs)

He probably thought "I don't have the money to do this, it'll be cheaper to put him down." -.-

There are a lot of programs in my area that will fix dogs for no/low cost. I know of several that are pitt-bull specific (it would've cost him maybe $50.)

Not only that, but to euthanize (through our ER) costs at minimum $300. Neutering/Spaying has become such a simple procedure that there are tons of clinics, charities, and rescues that will perform it (so the pricing on it has gone way down not only because more cost efficient measures have come around, but competitive pricing has driven it down as well.)

Most vets suggest neutering/spaying at six months. I think after one-and-a-half years and after the first attack, responsible pet owners would at LEAST have called a vet or used freaking GOOGLE to find out if there was a cost-friendly way to have a dog neutered/spayed.

[HYHYBT]

I've never been on either side of this situation, but were it my dog, and had things got to that point for whatever reason, I'd be afraid of the risk that the aggression had become a habit and that fixing him after three attacks wouldn't be effective enough.

[wolfie]

Please neuter the owner (and spay his girlfriend) - stupidity like this needs to be prevented from being passed on to the next generation.