This story is sad on so many levels. A yellow lab, Lucy, was euthanized for an easilly curable malady, separation anxiety.
Shannon Nott relinquished her yellow Labrador, Lucy, to the Kansas Humane Society and quickly realized “she had made the wrong decision,” reports The Wichita Eagle.
Nott was still in the parking lot when she decided to retrieve Lucy, but it was too late. The shelter had already euthanized Lucy.
Lucy was relinquished because she suffered from extreme separation anxiety causing her to “chew into carpet, furniture and drywall.” The Humane Society had decided Lucy would not be a proper candidate for their adoption program.
Lucy had been a gift to Nott from her daughter, but had been forced to leave Lucy unattended for long periods of time while she was at work.
“A woman dressed in scrubs told her that because of Lucy’s destructive tendencies, the dog would have to be evaluated and might not be adoptable, that the worker would recommend that the dog be placed in a crate to be tested for separation anxiety. The worker said the only way to correctly diagnose the disorder was through crate testing.”
Nott broke down while still outside the shelter and called her sister who said, “You know what? Go back and get the dog. We’ll figure something out.’
”Nott was still in the parking lot. No more than 10 minutes had passed since she last saw Lucy. Lott was still hysterical when she went back into the shelter to say she had changed her mind and wanted her dog back. But the same worker told her it might be too late.”
“The worker ran down the hall and returned quickly.“She said, ‘It’s too late.’ She said, ‘The dog’s been put down.’
“They didn’t even give the dog a chance at all,” Nott said.”
The Humane Society president/CEO Kim Janzen states, “To an outsider, it’s going to seem that we acted rashly, but we didn’t.”
“A staff member told her very, very specifically, ‘If you leave this animal here, it will be put sleep today.’ The worker said it multiple times, Janzen said.”
“Janzen said she realizes that Nott was in a “lose-lose situation.”Such cases are “not only heartbreaking for the owners; they are heartbreaking for us,”
Lucy’s story ended horribly. Shannon Nott is devastated. The shelter is understandably sorry. However, the fact remains Lucy is dead. There is no going back.
What seemed to be an unfixable problem and the reason so many dogs are given away can actually be repaired easily and cheaply. Most do not realize separation anxiety can be cured and cured easily and cheaply.
This issue so many dogs suffer from is actually amplified by over-vaccination. Many vaccinosis symptoms reflect those of separation anxiety, chewing, biting and manifestations.
Reunion Rescue has a simple detox protocol applied to every rescued dog. First the dog is cleansed of metal and other toxins injected through vaccines. Next, the pup is given gentle flower essences that help transition into the new home. A crate and Kong system is employed so that every dog is crate and Kong trained. The dog enjoys a full upper body workout and then sleeps until mom gets home from work. Reunion Rescue has simulated den behavior.
What was quoted as a lose/lose situation by Janzen and the Humane Society could have easily been turned into a win/win set of circumstances had these easy resources been employed.
Lucy’s death does not have to be for nothing. There is a lesson to be learned. This Humane Society and other shelters can easily and cheaply detox these poor animals as well as train them with the Step 1-2-3 pit bull Starter Kit and The Kong document.
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