Saturday, May 12, 2012

Judge Says Dog Can Be Put Down

From the Las Vegas Sun: Despite the efforts of a New York-based animal rescue group, Onion — the dog that attacked and killed a 1-year-old boy last month — is still set to be euthanized by Henderson Animal Control.
Clark County District Judge Joanna Kishner on Friday denied a temporary restraining order sought by the Lexus Project Inc. to save the animal from being destroyed.
Kishner ruled that although Lexus has set up a trust in New York that would provide funds to house the dog in an animal sanctuary in Colorado, Lexus does not have any property rights to the dog, so it had no legal right to seek the temporary restraining order.
Those property rights were relinquished to the city of Henderson by the dog’s former owner, Elizabeth Keller, after her 6-year-old, 120-pound Mastiff/Rhodesian mix, killed her grandson, Jeremiah Eskew-Skahan.
The boy was at his grandmother’s Henderson residence on Navarre Lane near Arroyo Grande Boulevard celebrating his birthday on April 27 when he crawled toward Onion to pet him, Henderson Police said.
The dog latched onto the boy’s head and began to shake him as the grandmother tried to pull the boy away from the dog, police said.
Henderson Fire paramedics took the toddler to St. Rose Dominican Hospital–Siena Campus, where he was transported by helicopter to University Medical Center. The boy died at the hospital Saturday. The family subsequently turned the dog over to Henderson Animal Control.
Keith Paul, a Henderson public information officer, said in a statement that the dog will be cared for at the Henderson Animal Control facility until the judge's order is signed. After that, he said, officials "will follow the city's law, which would include euthanizing the dog."
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/may/11/judge-denies-temporary-restraining-order-save-dog-/
If you elevate the dog into people terms, then this is a very sad day for you.  I would say to those who are fighting on behalf of Onion, reach out to the other dogs in the animal shelters in the Las Vegas Valley because each year, we have thousands of dog put down because no one wants them and they haven't even harmed anyone.
For those who think this is just a dog, I would say to you that you probably never had a family dog who was completely loyal to you and gave you lot's of joy.
In the end, I understand the judge's ruling and I don't like outsiders who come into Las Vegas and giving the dog human characteristics and going against the wishes of the family who had have said they wish the dog died.  While I wish the dog would not be killed, I have to honor the families wishes.  Further, if given a chance to adopt Onion, I would not.  And for those who feel so strongly for Onion, why don't you go down to the pound and save a dog that is about to be put down because no one wants them.  We have rescued 3 dogs, how about you?

No comments:

Post a Comment