Should you euthanize a dog you think is a danger to your baby?
According to a Facebook post from Theng Wei Gan, a worker for Exclusively Mongrels Only, one of the dogs that was adopted from their shelter was put down because the owners feared that their infant would be bitten.
The post has since been taken down. Here was the content of the post:
Today, we received a tragic news.
Loki, a pup that we rehomed 2.5 yrs ago had been put to sleep by his humans. A perfectly healthy dog was put down. He would have been 3 yrs old in 2 months’ time.
The reasons:
‘He bit a girl the other day. And last week I was bitten too…’
‘We wouldn’t want to risk it with the baby and everything..’
‘And we tried rehoming him but not successful ..’
The humans have just had a baby last month. Isn’t it ironic that they brought a life to the world but decided to end another?
Why didn’t you consider engaging a dog trainer in the past 9 months to prepare Loki and you for the arrival of the baby?
You could have at least returned Loki back to us. We would have done our best to find him a new home. After all, that was the promise we gave him when we rescued him.
Just like that, you have unilaterally destroyed the meaning of euthanasia, which essentially means “a good death”. Did an apparently happy and healthy dog who perhaps simply nipped at someone in play deserve death?
Euthanasia is used as an ETHICAL MEANS to preempt suffering, it is NOT an indiscriminate death sentence.
Today you have truly realised the phrase “die like a dog” for Loki, for he has met the most miserable of ends.
I’m sorry Loki. I was the person who brought you to your killers. I’m sorry for choosing a wrong home for you. I’m sorry you had to die through no fault of yours You were mercilessly EXECUTED.
Loki’s owners, if you are reading this, one day your child is going to ask you, as all children do, if she can have a dog.
And you will remember Loki.
And then you will not be able to look her in her eyes and tell her that you executed him in cold blood because of her.
I hope you live with that guilt each time she asks for a pet.
A pet whom you senselessly murdered.
And please do not ever get that dog that she asks for.
Cos you are not worthy of a dog.
–Theng Wei Gan
Theng said that the couple allegedly had their dog put down instead of returning the the animal to the shelter when they had a baby. Instead, the couple allegedly expressed fears over several incidents of biting, and that their baby may be next.
The couple allegedly tried to re-home the dog but were unsuccesful.
The post above was taken down recently, and another post went up from the same animal welfare worker, who said that the couple who allegedly euthanized their dog, Loki, filed a doxxing complaint against them.
According to the post, Theng was interviewed by the police in connection to a doxxing complaint. The complaint was allegedly filed by the dog’s owners against them.
Theng, in the Facebook post, said that, “If I had unknowingly broken the law by doing that, I will accept full responsibility. And the responsibility is mine alone.”
Theng also thanks Minister Louis Ng for his support.
Header image from Theng Wei Gan Facebook page.
