’Everything I Did, I Did for Her’: A Dog Owner’s Emotional Account of Behavioral Euthanasia
About four years ago, dog owner Cassey Mahoney opened up her home to a beloved pup that would eventually change her entire life forever. Adopted from a backyard breeder at only eight weeks old, the dog, Poppy, wasn’t like the average dog. That’s because being a victim of backyard breeding contributed to Poppy developing a genetic predisposition to aggression at a tender age. (watch video below)
As revealed on Cassey’s TikTok account @cassiemahoney, Poppy’s aggressive tendencies started to manifest when she was only 12 weeks old.
According to Cassey, Poppy — described as a sweet, loving dog — had a tendency to bite people and other pets unprovoked. Even more alarming was that these bites were often level two or higher, meaning Poppy would more often than not, inflict injuries on those she attacked. Worried about these repeated bite incidents, Cassey engaged different behavior modification trainers with the hope of resolving Poppy’s severe behavioral issues.
What she didn’t know, though, was that Poppy’s aggression was beyond fixing since it had everything to do with her genetics.
@cassiemahoney And yet I’ll always miss and love her the same❤️🩹#behavioraleuthanasia #losinglulu ♬ Mom Told Me Everything Will Be Okay – Gab Sadie
Zero Progress
Even though Cassey consistently took Poppy through intensive behavior modification training, not much changed. Poppy’s unpredictable aggressive behaviors persisted.
“We continued working with the behavioral modification trainer, as well as multiple other individual trainers over the course of her life. We set boundaries and built a strong routine. She was muzzle trained, e-collar trained, crate trained, etc. We made sure her physical and mental needs were constantly met because we wanted her to succeed,” Cassey explained in a separate video. “But ultimately, it would not stop her aggression.”
The final blow came when Poppy attacked Cassey’s 10-month-old son out of the blue. This terrifying incident prompted Cassey to consult her trainers and the vet on the way forward, and to her shock, they all offered the same recommendation: behavioral euthanasia. The other option was to keep Poppy crated at all times and ensure she had a muzzle on any time she was out of the crate. To Cassey, this second alternative meant her lovely dog would no longer live like a “normal pet” and instead be treated like a dangerous animal.
“So, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life and behaviorally euthanized her in our home, because I knew anywhere else always stressed her out and I wanted her to be comfortable when she passed. Everything I did, I did for her,” a heartbroken Cassie wrote.
Understanding Behavioral Euthanasia in Dogs
In the simplest terms, behavioral euthanasia is the act of humanely putting down a dog that persistently displays severe behavioral issues; behaviors make them a danger to others and themselves. To date, behavioural euthanasia is still a controversial and emotionally charged topic since in most cases, the dog in question is in good physical healthy.
While this type of euthanasia may not be the only solution for owners with dogs suffering from extreme behavioral issues, it’s usually considered the last resort when all other interventions have failed.
It’s important to keep in mind that owners who choose behavioral euthanasia aren’t simply “giving up” on a dog that’s proven difficult to manage. It’s a painful decision often made after months or even years of trying out different strategies to help the dog. (Learn more: Behavioral Euthanasia: Understanding When It’s the Right Choice — and When It’s Not)
