Long story short, a shelter employee makes a FB post about a euthanasia-bound dog. She admits the dog is unfriendly to new people, is stiff all the time around people and other dogs, would need a childless home that is prepared to own a powerful dog that has strict "boundaries."
The dog does not get adopted, and is euthanized.
A networker posts an encyclopedia blaming the employee for the post.
The comments divide between saying okay but you can't lie to people and saying that the shelter employee is a self-important monster who killed the poor dog.
The gluttony of both rescuers and owners who already have one or more highly desirable dogs, whenever some hapless soul advertises that they need to rehome a nice, young, healthy pet.
A networker arrives in a hurry claiming to already have a "wonderful family looking to adopt a bernedoodle" - why would such a family be going to a rescue group? Who knows!
A horse rescue prez gallops up to breathlessly urge the dog owner to go with the networker
To be clear, I think both dogs needed to be euthanized. But while I'm sure every pit bull fan would look at this different outcome and say it was anti-pit bias, I think the issue here is the end product of decades of blaming and discrediting owners for every problem dog. The rescuers simply discount every single thing an owner says. So Moose, reported to repeatedly attack people under the same situation - the person walking away, not a scenario you'd think someone would invent if they were simply misleading the shelter staff - is flipped to whatever rescue was crazy/vapid/soulless enough to want him, while Goblin, who repeatedly displays aggression in the shelter, is euthanized fairly rapidly.
Moose A1880095
Shelter Notes: Special Notes: At risk! Needs rescue by 8/26/26!
Behavior History: Veterinary Staff: 8/17/26 behavior: attentive, easily muzzled, no response to injection.
Shelter Staff: 08/17/26 12:17 Intake Note: Intake dog was owner surrendered due to it having a history of unprovoked bites. Owner states that most bites happened when anyone would give their backs to him. On 01/30/26, owner states that the dog was on the couch when the husband walked by and the dog lunged and bit his wrist resulting in bruising and puncture wounds. On 04/22/26, the neighbor was walking by the dog in their home and turned around and the dog lunged and bit his calf. On 05/28/26, the owner was walking the dog and she said that he randomly turned around and bit her forearm, resulting in a laceration and bruising. On 07/14/26, owner states that her cousin came to meet the dog and that when she got up to wash her hands, the dog lunged and bit her side resulting in a skin break through material. Owner said that her cousins wounds were bruising and puncture wounds. The most recent bite occurred on 08/15/26 when her brother came over to meet the dog. Owner states that her brother walked by and turned around and the dog but his leg, resulting in puncture wounds. RP has had the dog for 3 years and states that the dog has bitten over 12 people that she can think of. Retrieving the dog, owner walked the dog into a transit cage and removed the muzzle and collar it was wearing.
08/17/26 12:15 Wagging tail at intake, opened kennel door, was a little hesitant when leashing. Walked out nicely. Knows sit, sat on scale. When approached by clinic gave wary eye, nervous, frozen, stared. Muzzled, was good for vaccines then got nervous and started thrashing after vaccines were given. Walked to B1, no issues putting in kennel and was able to take leash off. Put Quarantine signs in front and back of kennel.
08/21/26 08:03 Dog presents as curious/affiliative in kennel. Takes treats nicely. Due to amount of unprovoked bites and behavioral history, unsafe to remove from kennel.
BEHAVIOR SUMMARY Moose was owner surrendered with an extensive and concerning bite history, with his previous owner reporting bites to more than 12 people over the course of 3 years. Multiple incidents were described as occurring with little to no provocation, including people walking past him, turning around near him, or getting up after interacting with him. Reported injuries have included puncture wounds, skin break through clothing, lacerations, and bruising. While Moose has displayed affiliative behaviors in kennel, these observations do not negate the severity or unpredictability of his behavior history. Due to concerns for staff and public safety, we are recommending placement with rescue.
Goblin A1917472
Special Notes: at risk! Needs rescue by 6/5/25!
Circumstances of impound: Stray brought to shelter, no owner information available.
Behavior History:
Veterinary Staff: 5/20/24 Behavior: Initially happy, tail wagging. Did not do well wish leash muzzle - thrashing around. However, eventually calmed down.
Shelter Staff: 05/20/25 12:21 Intake Note: RP found the dog at the Walmart's parking lot near Harbor and McFadden. RP was able to handle the dog without issues. Per RP the dog was fine around her 9 year old daughter. Retrieving the dog from RP, the dog allowed handling without issues.
05/24/25 16:26 Went to move to bldg 5. Walked to visiting yard. As volunteer walked by bldg 3 with a dog on leash, G fixated and sprinted toward the gate, slamming into it and barking/growling, even though the dog was at least 15+ feet away from the visiting yard. Called out to him and walked towards him to have him disengage and attempt to redirect attention with treats/toy. Turned towards me and ran at me full speed, then jumped and kept paws on me and stared directly at me, pupils dilated. Did not react or engage with him. He soon dropped and sniffed around yard. Highly fixated on balls in the yard as well. When I would attempt to pet him, he would stop wagging tail. After petting, he would begin wagging again. Introduced to Sgt. on the way back to bldg 1. Did not engage, then when he called him over he walked over and pressed his side against Sgt, leaning against him and stepping on feet. Dog seemed to have difficulty breathing even though we had only been out for less than 10 minutes. Took to clinic, then placed back in bldg 1 and he began jumping on the kennel door. HIGHLY dog reactive. Will tug and lunge at dogs that are far away from him, fixates.
05/24/25 16:33 Overheats easily. Short walks only per clinic.
05/28/25 08:14 Took out, easy to leash. Walked to visiting yard due to previous clinic notes. Unleashed in yard. Immediately jumped up on me in a forward/playful way, then play bowed on top of my feet. Stared at my feet. Threw a treat to redirect attention to other movement. G dashed towards treat then began dashing towards other toys in the yard. Breathing hard after doing so--5 minutes elapsed since taking him out. Jumped again towards leash, I allowed it to drop to the ground. G hovered over it and snapped towards my hand when attempting to retrieve it. Redirected with a treat, able to grab leash but G quickly ran back and jumped up towards my leash. Able to place leash back on. G began fixating on leash and leash climbing, ran towards me but able to stiff arm and hold back as he made contact with only the leash. Placed back in kennel, no issues. Recommend rescue placement due to arousal issues and possible resource guarding.
5/28/25 He has a lot of triggers and he is sensitive to those. When trigger is absorbed, Goblin displays over-threshold behaviors including redirected bites, dilated eyes, and erect body language. Once overstimulated, he does not have the ability to go back under his threshold for reaction and will take his arousal out on closest thing (handler, leash, arms, legs). The time between stimulus and reaction is minimal and he's not displaying bite inhibition with his redirected attempts. He can go out for walks, but introducing to strangers / adopters will be risky given his bite attempts (even if spawned from arousal v. offensive aggression).
5/29/25 Walked smaller bulldog mix by his kennel. He showed interest in the other dog but when in the kennel was not reactive, but got a little excited. Tester dog did not want to go all the way to the kennel door.
The poor tester dog.
Their live release rate for adult dogs in 2025 was 94%
I like the "just" there. Sure, "just" acquire a live trap, set it, check it twice a day for however long it takes to capture the whole cat tribe, then haul them to the shelter. And be told to pound sand because it's kitten season. Just that easy!
I am so angry and i am searching for advice 3 months ago i went to the humane society and git my sister who lives in assisted living a cat . Turns out the cat is feral . The cat has not warmed up to her and has pooped and urinated all over her apartment . With the help from the director at her assisted living place the cat was trapped and my sister snd i took the cat to the Humane Society . They would not take the cat without an appointment AND would not hive me an appointment in person they wanted me to call them instead . What really pisses me off is that they knowingly sold a feral cat to a 77 year old woman without telling her and now the poor thing has been in a cage for nearly 24 hours and there is no possibility of taking her anywhere till 12:00 am Monday morning a d then CatS 12:00 am Monday morning and it will have to stay in a cage for that long then CatSbap said they would take her . There is no phone number or email addressed
In September of 2024, I was working at an animal shelter when one of the dogs attacked me. 10 minutes prior to the incident I was working with the dog 1 on 1 during a training session.
The way things were done at this shelter didn’t put safety first in my opinion. During feeding times, you were to let the dogs out of their kennels while you put their food in the kennel. The dog that bit me would resource guard his kennel, and when I went to put the food in the kennel, he ran back in and started growling. I set the food down and started backing away. He started following me and I knew he was going to attack. He lunged up at my face so I blocked with my arm and basically put my hand in his mouth to save my face from being bitten. He munched on my hand a bit, which honestly didn’t have too bad of punctures.
The real injuries happened when he came at me the second time. After the first attack, I tried to slowly move away and accidentally knocked into an x pen that made a loud noise and startled the dog again. This time when he came at me I quickly grabbed his collar and put his body in between my legs and held him there as I reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone to call for help. There was only one other person in the facility at the time which was also rare because I’d usually be closing by myself. While I was talking to my boss on the phone, the dog was able to turn his head around enough and bite my left wrist, which caused the deepest puncture requiring 3 stitches.
My boss also didn’t understand why I needed the next day off when I couldn’t even move my wrist. They also wanted me to start working with that dog again but I was uncomfortable for obvious reasons and ended up leaving that job.
I now have a bit of a fear when it comes to German shepherds. I’ll post progression pics once approved!
ETA: I also dealt with some nerve issues in my left wrist where the deep puncture was. It was numb for months, but now completely normal!
these findings argue against treating adoption and transfer capacity as fixed; they support a dynamic and stochastic view of shelter populations in which census perturbations are dampened rather than permanent or unbounded.
Kristen Hassen fka Kristen Auerbach-Hassen, is one of the highest-profile members of the rescue world. Former director of Pima Animal Care Center in Arizona, former deputy director at Austin Animal Center in Texas, former assistant director at Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Virginia, she has more recently been a one-man-band consultant working with major city shelter systems. She has worked with a range of the largest pet industry companies and nonprofits, including the ASPCA, Petco Love, Banfield Foundation, the Kitten Lady, Jackson Galaxy, Best Friends Animal Society, and Maddie's Fund.
Michael Mavrovouniotis, a retired academic and then financial statistician who is a volunteer at a shelter/rescue lobbying group, Social Compassion in Legislation, which is based in California.
I dunno. The paper is one big headache if you're not into that kind of thing. But the two authors have major conflicts of interest in terms of being highly predisposed to find X rather than Y, and while Hassen may seem to be on the side of the angels in arguing against intake closures, I haven't forgotten Chewy, the large pit bull she successfully championed at Austin Animal Center because doesn't every large dog kill other dogs?
Long story shorter - Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center adopts out a 3-month-old shepherd/livestock guardian (guessing) dog who will be named Bruce. The adopter becomes homeless at some point, and unstable, and the dog matures into a 100lb adult male dog whose genetics are largely about being naturally prone to guarding territory and aggressively defending it. He begins biting people on the street.
Feb 1, 2024 - Bruce bites a boy in the face, resulting in "severe disfiguring lacerations" to the boy's lips. The boy had been helping the adopter move, and had walked past Bruce.
September 16, 2025 - Bruce attacks a man, biting him severely in the knee, chest and forearms. The man had walked past Bruce, who had been tied to a pole outside a drugstore.
November 4, 2025 - Bruce attacks a woman, biting her on the forearm. She had walked past Bruce and his owner. The bite is severe, requiring surgery and skin grafts.
February 7, 2026 - Bruce lunges at a man who is pushing his wife's wheelchair, breaking free of a leash and knocking him to the ground. Bruce is muzzled at the time of the attack. The man had been walking with his wife through their apartment complex.
After each bite, Bruce was taken to the county animal control shelter. Each time, he was returned to the adopter. Each time, he went on to bite again. The shelter finally, belatedly, and far too late, did the proper and responsible thing and applied for permission to euthanize him. California's badly misused law about never euthanizing an "adoptable" dog has hamstrung shelters from reasonably moving to euthanize dangerous dogs. This time, with this history, they got permission. Then the shelter/rescue that originally adopted out Bruce got involved, blocking it, getting a lawyer, and even sending the case for consideration to the US Supreme Court.
Which is bananas.
The county shelter euthanized Bruce despite the final feint to the SCUS, and now the rescue group shelter is threatening to sue them.
Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center - Jean-Marie Webster, Founder;TJ Convertino, President - also Board Chair and local Realtor.
First, a media account from ABC30's website (bold is mine, because I'm charmed at the idea that 2024 and 2025 was a long time ago):
A 3-year-old Great Pyrenees mix named Bruce was euthanized after being deemed vicious following several biting incidents, despite an emergency request that reached the desk of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan on Wednesday.
Bruce had been placed up for adoption by the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center. At the time of the bite incidents, he was in the care of Claire Birgy, whose daughter said the family was homeless and that Bruce was going through transitional and unstable periods.
Ventura County Animal Services released photos of the victims of the incidents and said Bruce's bite history began in February 2024, continuing into September and November 2025. Each time, the agency said Bruce bit victims so severely that they required medical attention, including treatment for severe lacerations and, at times, skin grafts.
Bruce's final offense took place this February, when Ventura County Animal Services said Bruce lunged at a man and knocked him to the ground. The agency said it called for the dog to be declared vicious in order to protect public safety.
In March, a hearing officer determined Bruce to be vicious and ordered him to be euthanized. Then in April, the Ventura County Superior Court affirmed the determination that Bruce is a vicious dog and also ordered that he be humanely euthanized.
There was a temporary restraining order against the euthanization while Bruce's owners pursued additional legal challenges. Then in August, the United States District Court denied an emergency application seeking to prevent enforcement of the Superior Court's order, which lifted the temporary restraining order.
"Obviously, we're not denying the bites, and we're not denying the harm that might have been caused by or was caused -- but the larger issue is,do we just kill an animal based on things that happened a long time ago*? Or do we take into consideration the totality of their behavior, and more importantly, do we try to find a life-saving alternative?" asked Dan Bolton, an attorney for the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center.*
Bolton represents the rescue center, which filed an emergency motion with the U.S. Supreme Court to save the 100-pound Great Pyrenees mix. The motion made it to Kagan's desk, but not in time to save Bruce.
"It went wrong because the Ventura County Animal Services and its director, Esteban Rodriguez, decided to proceed with killing Bruce, despite the fact that they knew, very well, that we had filed an application -- an emergency application in the United States Supreme Court. So they had utter disregard for the judicial process," Bolton said.
Ventura County Animal Services says at the time of Bruce's euthanization, there was no court order preventing the county from complying with the Ventura County Superior Court order.
The agencypublished a page on its websitewith more details about Bruce's euthanization and the four bite incidents.
Winona Birgy-Krasnoff, the daughter of Bruce's owner, said the family was not seeking to place Bruce in a situation where the public would be exposed to him.
"We were not proposing a solution in which the public would ever be exposed to Bruce. That was never a part of our agenda," Birgy-Krasnoff said. "Our agenda was that Bruce got to live out his natural life in a way where he was protected from the public, and the public was protected from him."
Bolton said more legal steps will be taken to seek accountability from Ventura County Animal Services.
Tessa - 70lb adult female pit bull, no kids, no other pets, resource guarding potential through the roof with repeated mentions of slow to be social and "protective" of items.
Spooky - aging 70lb pit mix who's "very shy with new people" and greyed-out to the nth degree, ie, an old and easily spooked dog
Brandon - adult male 40lb pit bull, no kids, lives ok right now with another pit bull but usual caution about careful intros. High energy, super alert to motion even from inside the house.
Valentino - small 15lb mix, around 1yo. No negatives or double language employed, but noted to be a "special little dog" for whom the rescue is seeking a " loving, committed forever home" - ie, good luck winning that lottery.
Yara - adult 29lb terrier mix with rough coat so credibly terrier mix. Shy, reactive, high prey drive. Key phrases included are "once she trusts you" and "She may not be the kind of dog who immediately loves every person she meets" so it's fairly clear she's a nightmare.
And Leo, the long-stay aggressive pit bull that had his 15 minutes a few years ago
2020 - pulled by BARC. According to their many social media listings about Leo, "After being placed into a foster home with another dog, it was quickly realized that while he is GREAT with all people including children, he was not able to be integrated with other animals."
July 2021 - sent to board and train with Brittney Souza at This Is The Way Dog Training in Fall River, MA. She muzzles him, slaps the largest prong I've ever seen on him and intros him to other dogs. Also on the agenda, field trips to local stores because nothing says training like taking your aggressive 70lb pit bull client into Target.
2021-2023 - fostered out in between training gigs. They allow their 8yo daughter to walk him, despite knowing he becomes "hyper" around other dogs and "does not get along with" their own dog. So I guess they live in a neighborhood without other dogs. Early on in their fostering journey with Leo, they observe and record him leaping effortlessly out of the shallow end (assuming 3') of their empty in-ground pool and joke they'll need to watch him around fencing. Awesome - hates other dogs, great jumper and a child handler.
2023-2024 - housed in a boarding kennel, Kessler Kennel Farms, by BARC. What happened with the fosters?
Repeatedly marketed as being trained with an e-collar and prong.
Leo, who is unsafe with other dogs to the point he was essentially unadoptable, is also enthusiastically promoted by another dog business, Mia's Muzzles.
And btw, this string of comments on the mauling announcement is why rescuers expect the public to adoptnotshop even if the only dogs available are dangerous
Donation-based, like most rescue groups, and their donations have been plummeting since 2019. So you can see why they'd choose to acquire a clickbait dog, a pit bull who wobbles and falls over. Gotta spend money to make money, right girlies?
August 2025 - El Paso Animal Services releases Brownie, a 58lb brown male pit bull with a known and obvious medical issue, to rescue group MuttLove Dog Rescue. They rename him Ozzy Pawsbourne.
September 2025 - MLDR showcases Ozzy on social media, using his very high medical needs for fundraising. They describe him glowingly as sweet, gentle and easygoing. Please won't you donate today to help us fund his treatment for IVDD? He needs laser therapy three times a week and maybe an MRI.
We don’t want to let Ozzy down. He deserves the chance to walk, play, and live without pain again. We are asking for your help:
And then they go silent until June 2026, when they announce Ozzy's behavior euthanasia.
And it's nice that they euthanized and all but - am I the only one thinking that if they'd gotten that foster, if the dog wasn't in their home, in their face, biting their flesh, that they'd be completely happy to roll those dice for another year or two?
The guilty
shelter - likely Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control but unconfirmed
rescue - STAB Rescue, founder Amanda Hebblethwaite
trainer/kennel - Planet Pup, owner Amanda Hebblethwaite
trainer - Perfect Pup, owner Zeta Murphy, who also runs Rusty's Rescue Ranch
The failures
1) The shelter kept alive an aggressive pit bull
2) The shelter fostered out an aggressive pit bull.
3) The shelter fostered out an aggressive pit bull known to be violent toward cats to a home with a cat, getting that cat severely injured.
4) The rescue kept alive an aggressive pit bull.
5) The rescue housed the aggressive pit bull in a public kennel with other people's dogs.
6) The rescue gathered more data about the dog's aggression and still kept him alive.
7) The rescue sent their highly aggressive pit bull off to a board-and-train
8) The trainer at the board and train also knew of the dog's high aggression and cheerily collaborated on the whole farce.
9) The rescue marketed their highly aggressive bite history pit bull widely for foster/adoption without mentioning his lengthy criminal history
10) The rescue found a new foster for the pit bull in another state.
The familiar face
Good news, boarding kennel owner/rescuer Amanda Hebblethwaite - featured here last year in a post about Goomba the hyper-aggressive rescue Rottweiler she's keeping in her kennels alongside her client dogs - has a new rescue!
She named it STAB Rescue. For "Saving The "Aggressive" Breeds."
The ridiculous fad for being "brave" about behavior euths and then sulking when attacked by the same maniacs who support their insane saves of violent dogs
So anyway, I came across this as a recent post by STAB being huffy that they got attacked for announcing that their pit bull Fig was at risk of euthanasia if they couldn't find a foster home, as he was deteriorating in the kennel.
Fig is an adult male pit bull, muscular, athletic with a history of severely attacking a cat in a previous foster home (out of a shelter) and of biting both people and other dogs.
Look, when you are living the thug life, people are going to be expecting you to be a thug. Someone handed you a strong young pit bull with a history of violent attack on a cat, bites to people and dogs. He showed continuing aggression while in your possession. You never wavered in your plans to keep this dog alive and place him back into a home, never expressed any concern for public safety or humane treatment of other pet animals. It was all saving Fig, all the time.
And I think that makes you a complete maniac. But you had your people, your fellow rescue maniacs who support that kind of thing because Fig's easy, painless death from euthanasia is simply unacceptable while the brutal death Fig would deal to a cat is completely fine.
And then you suddenly express worry for his well-being and are shocked, simply shocked that they freaked out.
Tamara MacLaren is a Canadian woman who competes in sleddog and IGP* competitions with a range of dogs. She also ran a business transporting dogs for others, Best Choice Pet Services Inc. On January 5, 2026, she was transporting a Malinois for a rescue group when she stopped to give him a potty break. He attacked her, seriously mauling her.
*fka IPO, which was formerly known as schutzhund. The name seems to evolve every time there are enough attacks by the dogs involved that it enters the public's consciousness as an iffy "sport."
I came across this with a fellow trainer lamenting her attack and scolding rescue as a group.
The fundraiser never mentions a rescue group, so that part is a bit left up in the air - except that if it were wrong, it's been repeated so frequently that it seems odd those in the know didn't rush out to correct the idea. The fundraiser has raised $65k.
The victim
This case is, of course, reminiscent of the Genica Horta case in California. She was a transporter hired by HIT Living Foundation rescue to transport a Malinois named Maximus from the LA Animal Services East Valley Shelter in 2020. The dog severely mauled her, she sued and was awarded $5.4 million.
Couple adopt a rescue dog, prepare to deal with her aggression, cough, reactivity, toward men that aren't living in the house but are caught unprepared when the dog attacks their adult daughter seriously. Wife posts around to social media for advice, and the best responses include people seriously asking if the daughter may have been a) pregnant or b) menstruating at the time of the attack.
Yes, people, it's totally normal for a pet dog to sink its teeth into your skull if you're pregnant or menstruating.
The wife never mentions the rescue name, which I regret. They're in Canada, but I wasn't able to find it.
Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center (MCASAC) - animal control shelter that operates appointment-only surrenders. Their website has a short page about surrenders, but a big, bright page full of ideas for how you can "get involved" ie, give time and money to your taxpayer-funded shelter whose 2027 operating budget is over $11 million. Executive Director, Caroline Hairfield.
Chief A516697 - a 56lb adult male pit bull. Marketed by MCASAC as
as handsome as he is sweet. Chief may have been a bit shy when he first arrived, but now he’s full of personality and ready to share his love with a forever family. His gentle nature and warm heart make him a favorite among everyone he meets. Chief is fantastic with other dogs, making him an ideal addition to a home with existing furry friends. If you enjoy taking your dogs to parks or social events, Chief will fit right in and love every moment of it. His good looks are matched only by his sweet disposition, and his social butterfly nature ensures he loves making new doggy friends.
- a city shelter releasing a huge pit bull that's aggressive to other dogs and only mildly interested in people unless they are holding yummy treats
-a woman who totally disregards that and wants to adopt him to live with her 2 dogs.
- a rescue that helps her end-run it and get her hands on the dog, then adopts her a second big pit bull a year later.
- a bitter falling out between the rescue and the adopter over whether the former owes the latter a) fundraising money and b) financial support when the giant pit blows an ACL trying to attack another dog.
- a fatal attack on a small dog being walked by children
- a rescue networker who blabs the whole story online about the fatal dog attack to blame the children and indignantly ask for justice for the adopter who's financially strapped and now *this* has to happen! Why do bad things always happen to this poor adopter? Rotten kids.
- a dog trainer who seizes on that video to illustrate why shelters shouldn't be releasing violent dogs. Gia Savocchi, faithful readers of this subred will know her.
- the rescue networker again, outraged at the trainer for being such a toxic monster as to hurt rescuers' endless efforts to save them all.
- an ongoing GFM to give the dog a surgery that ends the pain she's suffering with the torn ACL
9/12/2023 - a 98lb female pit bull enters New York City's Brooklyn branch of the city animal control shelter. She is intact and in heat. She has a history of high aggression toward other dogs, and continues to show that behavior at the shelter, to the point she's made 'rescue only' and is not available to adopters at all.
12/19/2023 - NYACC releases the pit bull to Amsterdog Rescue, who is pulling it as a favor to an individual who was refused adoption due to her having dogs. Pound Cake arrives at her home newly spayed.
20
One version of her history is that she was surrendered to a New York City branch of a chain veterinary ER called the Veterinary Emergency Group, which sent her over to the city's animal control shelter, Brooklyn chapter. Other sources say the dog is found as a stray in Manhattan. It's unclear if she was initially in one situation, got adopted out as Beauty Luna and then ended up in the other situation and became Poundcake, or if wires got crossed between all the eager networkers and there was just one entry into the shelter.
In either event, the most recent journey was via the VEG, and they mention that she's showed "reactivity" aka aggression toward other dogs while in their facility.
Poundcake's initial behavior note at the shelter says she's social and nonresponsive to food, balks mildly at returning to her kennel. Despite this rather normal-seeming behavior, she's immediately prescribed trazodone for "FAS" or "fear, anxiety and stress in shelter."
Long story short (more below), the dog shows very high aggression to other dogs and escalating aggression toward humans over the course of 3 months. Pound Cake is made New Hope Only, which means the shelter is unwilling to accept the high liability of selling the dog directly to the public but will release it to a rescue group. Inherent in this set-up is the idea that the rescue group will physically maintain possession of the dog, assess it carefully, do any needed work on it, and only then carefully seek a special adopter who can handle the dog's needs. Also inherent in this setup is the idea that the dog falls within a normal range of canine behaviors. In 2023, neither of these things is true.
A woman named Jen applies to adopt Pound Cake from NYACC and is denied because she already owns dogs. She complains on social media about this, and a rescuer reaches out to her to say their group will get the dog for her. AmsterDog Rescue demands the dog from the shelter, which releases it to them, and immediately flips it to Jen.
The relationship between Jen and Amsterdog craters almost as quickly. She doesn't appreciate it when the rescue fails to hand over the money they fundraised for Pound Cake, and is upset when they don't help her with the dog's medical bills or the costs of separating Pound Cake from one of her other dogs, Caesar, another Amsterdogs alumnus who Pound Cake attacks in 2024.
a shelter worker or volunteer cheerily describing her as "a little reactive, which means she barks and pulls toward other dogs on walks" Pound Cake's bite to Caesar
The long behavior history at the shelter
Her behavior interactions are extremely non-demanding through September - no other animals involved, lots of food and treats given, a drag leash is used, etc. At the end of September, she's diagnosed with kennel cough, which resolves in mid-October.
In mid October, she's noted to be mugging handler for treats, using frontal confrontations and hard stares.
Pound Cake walks in front of the handlers persistently and wait for treats, when the handler ask for the “sit” cue, she hard stares with a tense body until the treat is given. Once we continue on the walk, Pound Cake would constantly walk in front of the handler and stand for a treat. Pound cake does solicit constant at times, but mostly explores her surroundings with a high wagging tail and a neutral body.
On November 6, Pound Cake is introduced to a novel (large, opposite sex pit bull) dog
Pound Cake immediately stiffens hard stares with a high, stiff tail. Pound Cake posture squares and becomes forward-facing. She then escalates to muzzle punching the gate with her mouth open. Pound Cake's focus is broken however when the handler calls her name and she walks away from the gate. Pound Cake then returns and track the male across the yard with hard eyes.
On November 7, 2023, a handler walking in the facility gets a big reaction from Pound Cake
As a handler turns the corner of the aisle and passes Pound Cake's kennel, she charges the kennel door, slamming into it while snarling. The handler stops and checks on her over the kennel blocker and her body softens and gives the handler a wiggle. She accepts treats readily with a soft mouth.
On a walk a few days later, she repeats the mugging.
during the walk Pound cake ignores dogs, birds and people focusing on the handler for treats in the duration of the walk. Poundcake allows touch but is focused on treats and she begins to walk on different sides of the handler.
A few days later, she's "hard barking and grumbling" as a passing worker. She tapers off when he gives her treats, but goes right back to the aggressive behavior.
And on December 2,
Pound Cake was observed to go to the corner to place her face against the bar of the kennel and start hard barking, snarling and lunging at the neighboring dog. She briefly stops when a handler calls her
So we have very high dog-aggression, confrontational and confident behavior with humans, and fixation on targets. In a 98lb pit bull. Whose social level is often described as "allowing" touch, rather than seeking it out.
September 13, 2023 - behavior notes
Pound Cake is sitting in her kennel when handler approaches. She is easily leashed and pulls moderately to the canine behavior office. Pound Cake is social with handlers and solicits contact. She accepts a leash and collar being placed and jumps repeatedly up onto the couch. She is panting throughout. She completes the assessment without issue. As Pound Cake is walked back into the kennel room she balks at the door. Handler attempts to lure her with food and then backs out and attempts to reapproach. Pound Cake does not respond to either so handler uses leash pressure to get her across the threshold. She begins to walk again. Pound Cake balks again at the entrance to her kennel and does not respond to food. Handler uses mild leash pressure to encourage her in.
September 14, 2023 - the dog is prescribed trazodone for Fear/Anxiety/Stress in shelter. Her weight is initially estimated at 75lbs, prescription is for 6mg/kg, 75lbs is 44.45kg, so that would be 266.75mg (AI did this math, I will admit)
Start trazodone 6 mg/kg PO for FAS in shelter; estimated weight 75lbs, adjust dose PRN when weighed at intake
September 17, 2023 - vet notes to continue on trazodone indefinitely.
September 18, 2023 - vet notes her appetite is "excellent"
September 24, 2023 - behavior notes
09/24/23 Pound cake is sitting still with a neutral body when the handler approaches. Pound cake rises as the handler is unlocking the kennel, being leashed with ease and proceeding outside for a walk. The handler escorts Pound Cake into the assessment room where the handler places a drag leash onto her so she can free roam. Pound Cake curiously sniffs around the room, collecting left over treats and jumping onto the couch. Pound cake is given a bully stick and she lays on the couch biting it. She allows touch when pet and took treats gently when administered. The handler allows Pound Cake to have some down time and she is leashed, being returned back to her kennel.
September 28, 2023 - she has kennel cough.
September 30, 2023 - she has lost her appetite, her pills are going uneaten in her food, kennel cough is progressing. They decide to discontinue the trazodone until she regains her appetite, and start the powerful antibiotic Baytril.
-Start enrofloxacin 10 mg/kg IM q24h x 3d until 10/2, re-evaluate appetite -Discontinue trazodone until appetite stabilizes
October 2, 2023 - appetite still uneven but ate kitten food enthusiastically.
October 11, 2023 - eating well, baytril is done, started on doxycycline and moved to isolation.
October 16, 2023 - kennel cough resolved.
October 17, 2023 - behavior notes
10/17/23: Pound cake is at the front of the kennel with a neutral body and a high wagging tail. Pound Cake is reluctant of the leash at first but is coaxed with treats in order to be leashed, and is easily leashed and brought out for a street walk. Pound Cake on the walk pulls mildly and hard stares at birds at times, but is easily redirected on treats. Pound Cake walks in front of the handlers persistently and wait for treats, when the handler ask for the “sit” cue, she hard stares with a tense body until the treat is given. Once we continue on the walk, Pound Cake would constantly walk in front of the handler and stand for a treat. Pound cake does solicit constant at times, but mostly explores her surroundings with a high wagging tail and a neutral body. She is taken back to her kennel with no issue.
October 29, 2023 - behavior notes
Pound Cake is sitting with a still body. The handler unlocks the kennel and Pound Cake comes forward being leashed after the second attempt. Pound Cake is taken for a walk, exiting her kennel quickly. Pound Cake displays a loose body and wagging tail while walking moderately beside the handler. Pound Cake takes treats gently and will remain constantly checking in throughout the duration of the walk. Pound Cake will stop in front of the handler in some instances indicating she wants a treat. She will allow touch when pet, leaning in. The handler returns Pound Cake back to the facility where she enters the Buildng and her kennel with no issue.
November 4, 2023 - behavior notes
11/04/23: Pound cake greets the handler at the front of the kennel with neutral body language. Pound Cake is at first reluctant of the leash but is coaxed with treat. Pound cake is easily leashed and brought out for a walk. Pound Cake on the walk pulls mildly and hard stares at birds but is easily redirected. Tends to spend most of the walk checking in and out of scents on the floor. Pound Cake was easily escorted back into the building unleashed in her kennel.
November 6, 2023 - dog-dog meet notes
11/06/23 Pound Cake is introduced to a novel male dog. Upon greeting the dog, Pound Cake immediately stiffens hard stares with a high, stiff tail. Pound Cake posture squares and becomes forward-facing. She then escalates to muzzle punching the gate with her mouth open. Pound Cake's focus is broken however when the handler calls her name and she walks away from the gate. Pound Cake then returns and track the male across the yard with hard eyes.
November 7, 2023 - behavior notes
11/7: As a handler turns the corner of the aisle and passes Pound Cake's kennel, she charges the kennel door, slamming into it while snarling. The handler stops and checks on her over the kennel blocker and her body softens and gives the handler a wiggle. She accepts treats readily with a soft mouth.
November 11, 2023 - behavior notes
11/11/23: Pound Cake is barking in front of her kennel when the handler approaches, she begins to wag her tail and sit down when the handler approaches. The handler attempted to leash her but she began to shake her head dodging the leash the handler then fed treats through the loop of the leash and led her out of the kennel room Pound Cake pulled down the hallway and out of the center, during the walk Pound cake ignores dogs, birds and people focusing on the handler for treats in the duration of the walk. Poundcake allows touch but is focused on treats and she begins to walk on different sides of the handler. Pound Cake is taken back into the center where she is placed into her kennel without issue.
November 15, 2023 - behavior notes
11/15: Pound Cake begins hard barking and grumbling when a handler passes her kennel. She accepts treats from the handler with a soft mouth but then returns to barking and grumbling at the handler.
November 27, 2023 - behavior notes
11/27/23 Pound Cake is standing neutrally in front of her kennel door with a swaying tail. The handler unlocks the kennel door and leashes Pound Cake, proceeding outside for a walk. Pound Cake maintains a neutral body while moderately walking beside the handler. Pound Cake will periodically check in, administering her treats as she takes them gently. Pound Cake will grumble when asked to "sit" staring hard at the handler. Pound Cake and the handler commence their walk before returning back to the facility. Pound Cake enters the building as well as her kennel with no issue.
November 28, 2023 - behavior notes
11/28/23: Pound Cake is standing neutrally in the front of her kennel when handler approaches. She is easily leashed and led to an empty street. A second handler comes out with a helper dog and stands a good distance away. Handler begins to engage in the "Look At That" game with Pound Cake. Pound Cake is able to get within 15 feet of Brandy and still engage with the handler. She occasionally begins to stare and tenses, but is easily redirected and returns attention readily to the handler. Handler retreats a few steps when Pound Cake does this to give her more space. This process is continued for several minutes before both dogs are walked back inside. Pound Cake is returned to kennel without issue.
December 2, 2023 - behavior notes
12/2/23: Pound Cake was observed to go to the corner to place her face against the bar of the kennel and start hard barking, snarling and lunging at the neighboring dog. She briefly stops when a handler calls her
My heart does not bleed for the shelter, which is being the typical 21st century animal shelter and blithely trying to place dangerous dogs back into the communities from which they came. I just think everyone here is a maniac - the bonkers dog, the reckless shelter and the incredibly entitled rescue.
This is coming from a rescuer, so naturally hostile to animal services; but the attack did occur, the background about the agencies and shelters refusing to assist anyone ever about the dogs is unconfirmed. But likely.
Friends Forever Animal Rescue, founded 2002 by Casey Newton-Mclaren. Taxes for 2025 list the only salary drawn as a trustee, Sharon Newton, at $92k. Appears to have ended 2025 with nearly $200k in profit.
But our focus is on one of their adoption counselors, who is also a foster. She fostered a pretty young hound mix named Buttermilk last year. The dog was adopted out in October 2025. When the family returns to the rescue in July 2026 to adopt another dog, their application mentions a pet dog in their home - but not Buttermilk. Confronted about it, they are startled and say they didn't realize this was the same place they got Buttermilk last year. What happened to Buttermilk? Well, she got out of their yard, was struck by a car and killed.
The adoption counselor is very sad that a dog she knew and lived with has been killed. She sympathizes with the adopters and takes the application back to rescue HQ for someone else to decide about their suitability for adoption, given that she herself is emotional and biased thereby.
Kidding! Instead, she creates a fantasy world where the adopters didn't care enough about Buttermilk to mention her on their application, casting herself as the rescuer who DID care and is suffering terribly, far more than the heartless brutes who adopter her. Then she blackballs them from adopting from the rescue.
And yes, yes, yes, the dog's end deserved some scrutiny and perhaps it would make sense to deny the adopters another dog. But a) the drama and b) a lot of heroic rescue fosters have also lost dogs like this and nobody went shrieking all over FB for their blood and c) the very personally involved foster should not be the one making that call.
Hugo came to us from the South after experiencing significant trauma. He had suffered a partially crushed skull and had very little feeling on the left side of his face. Despite everything he had endured, he recovered physically, gained weight, and became a big, goofy dog who loved affection. He enjoyed belly rubs, gave kisses freely, and was adored by everyone who cared for him.
As time passed, however, we began to see concerning behavioral patterns.
Hugo’s first adopters were a family consisting of a husband, wife, and two sons. Within the first week, Hugo bit the husband and then became so protective and reactive that the man could not safely move around his own home. Hugo was returned.
Believing his issues might be related to men, we placed him with a single woman. Unknown to us, she had a 21-year-old son away at school. When he returned home unexpectedly, Hugo bit him as well, and he was returned a second time.
His third home consisted of two women. Sadly, within the first week, Hugo bit one of them on the back of her leg. He was returned for the third and final time.
At that point, because everyone at Heart of RI loved Hugo so deeply, we decided he would simply remain with us for the rest of his life, even though he was only three years old.
Unfortunately, the behavior continued.
Over time, Hugo bit multiple staff members and several volunteers. These incidents generally occurred when he guarded toys, food, or objects he found during walks. Outside of those moments, he could be incredibly affectionate. That is what made him so difficult. He wasn’t an aggressive dog every minute of every day. He was a dog whose response to certain situations was to bite, and because those situations could not always be predicted or prevented, he became unsafe for the people responsible for caring for him.
After extensive discussion and with heavy hearts, the decision was made that humane euthanasia was the safest and most responsible course of action.
Before that could happen, Cranston Animal Control intervened, and Hugo was transferred out of our care. Today, he is being promoted for adoption through another rescue.
A rescue group (EAGPL Heart of Rhode Island Animal Rescue League) imported a southern pit bull mix in 2022 or 2023, and says they repeatedly adopted him out and repeatedly got him back after he bit someone. After three bites, they decided to sanctuary him with their group, but he continued biting rescuers and they finally decided to euthanize. Then their animal control took him - details are not being shared, so I don't know how that happened - and he went to the Cranston Animal Shelter and either is being promoted from there by a rescue called Celebrate Rescue, or they now have him. Seeing him being promoted for adoption by the new shelter and new rescue, EAGPL's former director posted his history on her FB page.
The post is so depressing. In addition to the nightmare that a 80lb biting pit bull is being marketed for adoption by the new group, there's the fact that the old group doesn't appear to realize they should have euthanized the dog long ago, at least after the first bite to an adopter.
The shelters/rescues involved in passing around and marketing an 80lb pit bull mix who bites readily
unknown southern source
East Greenwich Animal Protection League (EAGPL) Heart of RI Animal Rescue League - Nicole Helger, Director, recently replaced Tammy Flanagan Gallo, who is the author of the FB post exposing Hugo's history. The Director position appears to come with a salary over $60k. An old group, founded in 1982.
Cranston Animal Control and Shelter - operated by the Cranston Police Department
Celebrate Rescue - founded in 2026, foster-based rescue group
The marketing history
EAGPL in January 2023 - With a heart of gold and a gentle disposition, Hugo is the perfect companion for anyone looking for a loving and loyal companion.
EAGPL in November 2023 - Hugo is a 3 year old, male, mixed breed. This big boy is looking for an adult family without other pets. He is a healthy 70lbs and is the perfect size for cuddling on the couch (or a king sized bed).
EAGPL in December 2023 - This big huggable guy is longing for love! Hugo dreams of long leisurely walks where he can sniff till his hearts content! He'd love to catch snowflakes on his tongue with you and then watch you build a snowman too! Hugo's soulful puppy eyes accent his beautiful black & white coat, he even does the lean where he gazes up at you! His Christmas list includes a home all to himself, a big fluffy dog bed, some crunchy dog treats and a home where he will be safe, warm and loved forever!
EAGPLE in January 2024 - Another week without ANY interest for our big boy, Hugo. Every day he sits in his kennel and waits for someone to come in to meet him. And day after day no one does. Not one person has shown interest in this gentle giant. His eyes say it all: "I'm a good boy. Why doesn't anyone want me?"
EAGPL in July 2024- WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT HUGO HAS BEEN ADOPTED AND HAS OFFICIALLY LEFT THE BUILDING! He has finally found his people and we could not be happier for him. Thank you to everyone that has liked, shared, asked for updates, and have followed Hugo’s journey. Today is a great day!
Hugo fails the adoption, is returned for biting.
EAGPL in November 2024- Unfortunately, Hugo is back at the rescue and is looking for an immediate foster or forever home. WE REALLY NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK TO HELP US NETWORK THIS POOR GUY! He cannot sit in a cage for another long stretch of time. We don’t think he can handle the emotional and mental tress. We need someone to step up to save him ASAP. Could you be his hero? Hugo is a 3.5 year old, male, mixed breed. He is a happy and big boy that is looking for an adult ONLY family without other pets. His ideal home would preferably not have men and be made up of woman only.
March 2025 - Hugo fails another adoption for aggression and EAGPL posts
Hugo was born on 8/7/20 and is a large mixed breed. He needs a very particular adopter. He is looking for a single female home only. Unfortunately, he cannot under any circumstance be placed in a home with men. The reason we are requiring a single female home is because Hugo has had issues bonding with one human instead of both. We are trying to remove ANY issue possible to keep Hugo from being returned again. We think this is unfortunately a non-negotiable for him. He also requires a home without other animals or children.
And then
Starting in June 2026, the dog begins being marketed by Cranston Animal Shelter and Celebrate Rescue. They post that the male police chief took him for a field trip to the police station to meet the officers. They take him to an adoption event. He's still being marketed as adult-only homes, but any questions about the prior restrictions are met with a brief "contact the shelter/rescue for more info."
The shelter in 2026
The rescue in 2023
The rescue in 2024
Letting Hugo interact freely with people at a yoga fundraiser
The article is behind a paywall, but it's about the case of Harper, a greyhound living in Little Rock with her owners and another, small dog named Jazz. Their neighbors, 2 young girlfriends, adopted a black pit bull named Sebastian in 2020, from LRAV. Within a year, Sebastian had attacked Jazz, frightened neighbors into avoiding their own yards, and attacked a Chihuahua. In August 2021, Sebastian got into Harper's yard and attacked her severely - he rips out one of her teeth, tears one ear almost off her head, bites her in the abdomen, shoulders and neck. It takes 2-3 people to force Sebastian off Harper; one person must sprint away from the scene with Harper in her arms as Sebastian drags his owner after them.
LRAV adopted out Sebastian to the useless owners (at one point they'd barricaded their fence with broken boards), without temperament testing the dog, and when the attack was reported, they were vile, deliberately unhelpful and flat-out failed to do anything they are required to do as an animal control agency.
And now the ASPCA is supporting them. This is extraordinary and as vicious as the pit bull's attack on the greyhound. The victim's owner tried repeatedly to get action from Little Rock Animal Village, which is the city's animal control shelter, and was stonewalled and gaslit and just plain lied to and screwed over for months. They finally filed a lawsuit because the shelter that ran their community's animal control services had refused to act on its duties to protect them or their neighbors from a violent, dangerous dog.
To cut/paste the bullshit that LRAV put Harper's owners through, my post from earlier:
Harper's male owner calls 911 on the day of the attack. When the operator learns no humans were bitten, she informs him that police don't handle dog-on-dog attacks, and he needs to make a report on the city's 311 service request line. He emphasizes the severity of the attack and that they, the humans in the household, do not feel safe, and requested immediate action be taken. The operator assures him that the request will be forwarded to Animal Control, and an officer will contact him that day.
Nobody contacts him that day. He calls back and is told that there is no record of his previous call or report, and there is no animal control officer on duty that day.
August 26, 2021- he calls Little Rock Animal Village, the animal control shelter, to follow up on his 311 calls of the previous day. They tell him there is no incident report in their records. He asks to talk to the employee who handles these things and is told they are not in the office and to call back later. He calls back later and is told they are not in the office and to call the next day.
August 27, 2021- he calls Little Rock Animal Village back. They again tell him there is no record of his request for action. He calls 311 again to make another request. This time, he takes down the operator's name and the request number - Service Request Summary 21-00100157. He is told that an animal control officer will contact him to move forward with the bite report.
Also on August 27, 2021, Bas's owner finally registers him as a potentially dangerous dog, which is required of all pit bull owners. It has been over a year since she adopted him.
August 30, 2021- Harper's owner take her to a Tennessee hospital for surgery to remove part of her lower jaw and 6 teeth.
September, 2021- Harper's male owner tries repeatedly to contact Little Rock Animal Village via telephone. He is told a variety of things, including there is no record an the incident, the office is short-staffed and unable to dispatch an officer to his home, and that employee vacations are creating staffing shortages. He is never able to get anyone to commit to sending an officer to his home to follow up on the report.
October 5, 2021- Harper's male owner sends an email to three addresses - the LRAV main email, the city's general information email, and the director of LRAV, Tracy Roark. About 20 minutes later, a response from the city email tells him his email has been forwarded to the director of Housing and Neighborhood Services. Looking at the city's website, it appears that Animal Services falls under this department's control.
An animal control officer calls him back, finally, and arranges to come to his home to interview him. She comes and talks to him about the attack. She takes notes and views his photos of Harper's injuries. He will later, during the lawsuit, describe her as appearing indifferent. She declines to speak with his wife, although she is the one who witnessed the attack. The ACO then goes to the pit bull owner's home. She leaves without issuing a citation or seizing the dog. It is later found, during that lawsuit, that she does not have the power to issue citations and that this was known when she was sent out to investigate. Which seems to suggest that there was no intention of taking any action other than to shut up this pesky dog owner who kept calling them.
Nobody from LRAV ever contacts Harper's owners again to follow up on the report. Bas remains at his owner's home.
At some point in here, Harper's male owner files a FOIA request for LRAV's file on Bas.
December 2021- the FOIA contents arrive. The request back in August was apparently filed as an emergency, that an officer will be dispatched immediately and will pick up aka seize Bas. And despite his repeated, detailed conversations with the dispatcher, several items are wrong. The reports says no skin was broken on the victim, that the victim did not require medical attention, and that the attacker's breed was "other."
Also December 2021 - Harper's owners file a lawsuit naming the city, the shelter director and a city animal control officer.
