Laws usually only require an ACO to believe it is necessary to issue a kill order, without any guidance or standards on how to determine what is necessary, and they in effect make guesses about a dog’s future behavior based on past bite histories. Current decisions by ACOs made on speculations without the benefit of science, accepted methods, theories and the billion dollar industry of dog training and behavior are thus, in our opinion, ripe for appeal.
Of course, these proceedings are fraught with people and judges alike believing a bite history (even a minor fear bite or startled bite incident) warrants killing a dog because of its expected future behavior. We are beginning to bring in expert behavior consultants who understand that dogs only bite for a reason and future reasons can’t be qualified or known – not completely dissimilar to a criminal defender calling upon expert testimony to support a client’s innocence,.
We are pleased to report that we have made headway in one town agreeing to our behavior/training alternative solution with a behavior consultant / trainer versus going ahead with a dog kill order, and are in the process of trying to get another town to do the same for another dog. The agreement specifies the training that will occur with both the consultant and the owner at the town’s animal control facility, and all of the owner’s requirements that must be met (fencing, training updates, etc.). It is a long, not inexpensive road, but for anyone that believes their dog is family, totally worth the effort.
