Activists question pit bull euthanization

ANIMAL SHELTERS. SHELTER EMPLOYEES SAY THEY PUT THE DOG DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS AGGRESSIVE. BUT 'ON...  More »

ANIMAL SHELTERS. SHELTER EMPLOYEES SAY THEY PUT THE DOG DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS AGGRESSIVE. BUT 'ONE' EMPLOYEE SAYS THAT'S NOT THE CASE. JEFF MAHER IS LIVE WITH WHY SOME SAY THE SHELTER WAS TOO QUICK TO KILL THE DOG. JEFF. SOME LOCAL ANIMAL ADVOCATES SAY WIGGLES' CASE IS JUST ONE OF MANY WHERE A DOG IS UNFAIRLY LABELED AS 'AGGRESSIVE' AND PUT DOWN. BUT ANIMAL SHELTER OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE DOING THINGS BY THE BOOK - AND KEEPING THE STREETS SAFE FROM POTENTIAL DOG ATTACKS. THERE ARE A LOT OF PIT BULLS UP FOR ADOPTION AT CITY SHELTERS IN ALBUQUERQUE. 'WIGGLES', A 2- YEAR-OLD STRAY WAS ONE OF THEM 'the dog appeared to be extremely friendly to people, and a little over-exuberant, once it was kept out for a while it mellowed out'WIGGLES WAS BROUGHT TO THE WESTSIDE ANIMAL SHELTER IN EARLY APRIL. AFTER ABOUT SIX WEEKS - SOME PEOPLE TOOK INTEREST IN THE DOG - AND CONTACTED ANIMAL BEHAVIORAL EXPERT DIANE SULLIVAN TO CHECK HIM OUT. SHE SAYS SHE EVALUATED WIGGLES ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS - AND DECIDED HE WAS ADOPTABLE. BUT - FOUR DAYS LATER SHELTER EMPLOYEES DETERMINED THE DOG DANGEROUS AND LATER EUTHANIZED HIM 'four days before that dog was put down, I would have never made that determination and I don't see dogs turning that fast'ANIMAL WELFARE WORKERS SAY WIGGLES SHOWED AGGRESSION TOWARD OTHER DOGS BY BARKING AND SNARLING. 'they don't make that determination lightly, if you see everyday the look on their faces when they have to go through that, and when you're here everyday getting to know the pets, it's not a real simple thing to do'THE GROUP FOR RESPONSIBLY ADOPTING ALBUQUERQUE'S PIT BULLS SAYS JUST BECAUSE A DOG SHOWS AGGRESSION TOWARD OTHER DOGS DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE AGGRESSIVE TO PEOPLE. THEY SAY 'WE HAVE LOST ALL FAITH IN THE CURRENT SHELTER LEADERSHIP TO HUMANELY AND PROPERLY CARE FOR OUR CITY'S HOMELESS ANIMALS'ANIMAL ADVOCATES SAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE LEADERSHIP CHANGED AT THE CITY SHELTERS - AND WANT DOGS TO HAVE THE OPTION OF GETTING BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION TREATMENTS RATHER THAN BEING EUTHANIZED. LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM. JEFF MAHER. EYEWITNESS NEWS FOUR.  « Less