[Purple]

written by Andrew McInnis. Appearing in K9 Magazine issue 23

Celine Jacobs is a 37 year old dog warden, employed by South Gloucestershire Council. Up until very recently, she enjoyed her job. She found that helping dogs and educating dog owners was very rewarding. She took great pride in her work and cherished the time she was able to spend in the company of dogs. Very recently she was forced to do something which went against every fibre of compassion in her body – she took a healthy, young dog to be put down. Ever since, she has struggled to come to terms with what she did, this is her story.


“The other day I had to do something that went against everything I have ever strived for, I took a lovely, young, healthy dog to the vets and I had it put to sleep, the reason for this was that he had been identified by an expert as being a Pit Bull type.

When the expert identified the dog yesterday I thought my heart would break, without an owner to fight the dog’s case the law says we have to destroy them. For seven years I have been a dog warden and for seven years I have never put a dog to sleep that wasn’t on the advice of a vet due to illness or injury.”

Red was a stray. He couldn’t help the fact that his genetics and appearance categorised him as dangerous. He was young, healthy and apparently very friendly.

“This dog was only about one year old, he was highly social with other dogs, even when a Jack Russell tried to attack him, he showed no aggression. I could touch him all over and kiss his face and cuddle him with no hint of aggression, he was well mannered and well behaved, probably the nicest dog in the kennels at the time.

Since 10.30am yesterday I have cried, all day and all night and I have thought of nothing else apart from how I could have stopped this happening, but there was nothing I could do, so this morning at 7.30am I went to the kennels and I got Red out, we walked about 5 miles and then we went in a secure paddock and played chase with a ball until he was worn out, then I took him to a food van and bought him some sausages.”
For a dog warden, having a dog put to sleep is the last resort and is typically done due to illness or injury. The experience of putting Red to sleep has left Celine traumatised.

“When we went in to the vets his tail was still wagging and he sat there licking my face and licking the tears of my face, he didn’t know I was going to have him killed. I held him all the time and he slipped away in my arms quietly, I held him even when he was dead and sobbed my heart out.
Now I feel empty, I feel like I have finally been beaten and that all I have ever tried to do has been broken, I wanted to dedicate my life to saving dogs and now I have killed a fit, healthy, happy dog and I don’t think I can live with it or continue to work as a Dog Warden.

I know a lot of people think dog wardens enjoy killing dogs, I have never been so miserable or felt that what I was doing so wrong……Now I feel that I hate people, I hate the law and I hate my job. The only small thing that has kept me from falling completely apart over this is the fact that at least I know no one can hurt him now, he will never be thrown in a pit and ripped to pieces and no one will ever abuse him or beat him. I hope he enjoyed his morning with me before he went. I know that I had to do this as it is the law and it is what my job entails, as a dog lover however it is heart breaking.”

That was Celine speaking just hours after her ordeal. But how does she feel now that she has had time to reflect?

“I am still devastated about Red and not a day passes when I do not feel that I have taken a life that I had no right to take. Red was a lovely young dog and as far as I could see there was no aggression in him towards people or other dogs. I became a dog warden to save dogs lives not to kill dogs for no other reason than the shape of their bodies. I will never forget Red, as it went against everything I believed in, I came very close to leaving the job after I killed red. It was only the massive response I had from people that made me carry on. But now every time I get called for a stray I dread it being another Pit Bull type that I may have to kill. It has taken the joy out of my job and destroyed a part of me.”

Breed specific legislation was certainly an influential factor in the sequence of events that lead to Red’s death, but how does Celine now feel about a law that she has been governed by throughout her professional life.

“The legislation should assess all dogs on their temperament and the owners should be taken into account. Owners in most cases are responsible for the behaviour of the dog. I believe that before anyone is allowed a dog they should pass a compulsory basic test which shows they have some understanding of what a dog requires and what it takes to make sure the dog is well socialised and trained and will not become a danger. I also believe that a license of some description should be reintroduced, if a cost was involved it may deter people buying dogs on a whim. The owners of dangerous dogs should also be punished to make them think twice before getting another dog.”

http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/...ealthy-animal/

[screamin'eagle]

Originally Posted by Purple “The legislation should assess all dogs on their temperament and the owners should be taken into account. Owners in most cases are responsible for the behaviour of the dog.

...agreed.

[Sassy Girl]

Thanks for sharing this story...how incredibly heartbreaking.

[Mary Elms]

I read this story,the other day,following the UK's Kennel Club decision to train up a panel of selected people,how to identify PB's and PB 'types' in the UK.
It was an incredibly moving story and I for one,could not do her job......purely because I would be too upset and disturbed at having to put healthy dogs down,just on the basis of what they look like by a so-called 'expert'.
There was a feature on our main news this morning (BBC News 24) as the politicians 'The Liberal Democrats' had released supposedly figures,that showed that dog bites had risen by 40% over the last four years,within the UK.....their pictures to support this story,showed two dogs,one a Staffie cross and another Bully-breed cross,BOTH who would easily be deemed as PB 'types'......no other breed was featured as it obviously wasn't 'Devil Dog-ish' enough (oh and the dogs were being held by a hooded youth,surrounded by a gang of friends).....yes that image say's it all doesn't it?.
The BBC interviewed 'Jack Johnson' of 'The Dogs Trust' and he stated that a very very small percentage of dogs that came through the 'Trust's' doors,were aggressive and that NO one breed was naturally aggressive,nor more aggressive than others,he then stated that the 'Trust' stuck by the phrase 'Deed Not Breed' and it was time to make irresponsible owners pay for their actions rather than to keep blaming the breeds.
This was obviously NOT what the BBC wanted to hear...this wasn't horrific tales of 'Devil Dogs' nor blasphemy of any one particular breed,'ie: Pit Bulls,Rottweilers,etc...so the interview ended,with a pleased and triumphant Jack Johnson and a rather peeved BBC breakfast news team.
Here in the UK,it is accepted and believed that such dogs are ALL bad and no one want's to hear otherwise,if it doesn't either suit them or fit in with their idea's.
This has been shown to be just so,as in the case of dear 'Red' (above)...because he was who he was,regardless of being lovable and affectionate,the UK law,say's that all such dogs must be destroyed......what a waste and what a tragedy!!.