In Memory of Gulfport MS Chow/Golden Mix Puppy
(ID#A001291, MicroChip 092539845, intake 0909-60) from the HSUS Hattiesburg, MS Animal Disaster Relief Shelter - moved to the Nebraska Humane Society (402-444-7800), being euthanized for resource-guarding and food aggression despite his young age and offers to be taken in for training


Pic taken by me 17 September 2005 in Hattiesburg, MS, Shelter
Does this look like a feral puppy to you?

If they haven't done so yet, the Nebraska Humane Society will be euthanizing a 4-5 month old puppy, along with other Katrina dogs with health or aggression problems. He was resource-guarding and bit two people (don't know the circumstances of the bites, but given the extenuating circumstances and stress levels...). No wonder, he spent half of his life in a cage. It was his world and no one has been there to teach him differently. Perhaps if he'd been in a foster home, hed I knew this puppy at Hattiesburg, so went to bat for him. Another friend also tried. We offered to send liability waivers and to find a skilled behaviorist/trainer to take him in. The Director wouldn't budge and the 30 day hold is up so they can do whatever they want. I KNOW, from personal experience with another pup with identical issues (and then some) that this puppy could have been rehabilitated.

He was labeled by the Nebraska Humane Society as feral, despite my insistence that he was easily walked by volunteers while at Hattiesburg. I volunteered at Hattiesburg in the middle of September. This was not a feral puppy - I saw feral dogs there and he was far from it - he sought out attention, and wanted love and someone to play with him but was destined to live out the remainder of his short life in a cage. I remember how he played all alone in his crate, so happy to have a toy to keep him busy. No wonder he became a resource-guarder. His whole world was inside a cage and the only constant he had. (Hey, didn't these shelters agree to put the Katrina dogs into foster homes?) . Yes, he had food aggression and we worked around it. He was NOT a vicious pup. Was he serious about his food-aggression? Most definitely - but I'd seen worse that overcame it.

Our group wanted to take this puppy back with us to Virginia, along with several other dogs when we returned to VA, but the HSUS was only releasing owner-surrenders at that time. We'd offered to take the dogs with the least chance of being rescued, Chows, Pit, submissive, deaf, toothless, etc.

This is not the only org that is euthanizing for behavioral/health problems. Another unnamed shelter in the South told me they had to regretfully euthanize a Katrina Cattle Dog (a herding dog living confined for months) that escaped from it's run and attacked another dog. Am not sure if this is the one that had the owner call in later, but the Dir. was forced to tell someone that they euth'd their dog. Again, weren't dogs supposed to be going to foster homes? The staffer there told me they had plenty of foster homes available for Katrina dogs, but they have been living at the shelter. I am also told that Cincinnati (Humane Society?) took 200 dogs from Houston, originally from LA. There was much fanfare on their arrival and they were on the website. I am told they are not on the website any more, and that the group was not treating for heartworm. If not aware of this, AVMA will reimburse vet's for medical treatment of Katrina dogs. So, I am not aware of where all of those dogs went.

I grieve for this poor little soul that never asked to be born, that lived half his life in a cage so developed behavior issues, and for that he died, despite people willing to take him and work with him. And, I am grieving for all those others whose lives are ended prematurely. They've been to Hell and back and are expected to behave perfectly? What about all of the rescuers who risked life and limb to save these animals? What about those of us that spent 15-20 hour days cleaning, walking, playing (as much as we could) with these dogs so that they could eventually find something better? It is an affront to us all.

Rest in peace, little one. You'll have all the toys you want and freedom, finally, to run and play and not live in a confined space.

Crystal Dodd