I've interacted with animal rescue people, and they are particularly likely to be irrational when thinking about animals and the animal-human relationship.  I'm sorry that this dog was horribly mistreated.  Incorrigibly aggressive animals are euthanized for safety reasons everyday, however.  It is rational on a few levels.  First, the obvious human and non-human animal safety factor as you cannot guarantee no matter who cares for this animal that an accident will not occur.  Second, taking extreme care of aggressive animals sucks resources away from highly adoptable animals.  Third, dogs are social animals and so this dog would have to be kept away from its primary social partners quite a bit or not be allowed easy interaction, so the only safe way to keep this animal is to keep it in a way where it would be less happy.  The reason this became a particularly big deal is because of the publicity involved in the event and the level of abuse.  That is the only thing that makes this decision controversial while others very similar are not.  Rescues vied for the Vick dogs in part to garner money and good press.  I'm cynical enough to think something similar might be at work in this situation.

This sounds just like what Days End Farm Horse Rescue did to their animals... They euthanized the horses and didn't respond to the offers of adoption/rescue transfers prior to the killings. Horrible. RIP Oreo... so much potential :( http://ourmaggie.awardspace.info

This dog should have been euthanized from the very get-go. Thrown off a balcony-like six stories? What a waste of money to fix her than decide to kill her. If you are going to save the dog, then go all the way. But a dog that badly injured SHOULD have been destroyed in the beginning. The dog was probably aggressive because it was in pain.

I think it was tactically incorrect to euthanize Oreo. If so many people are willing to take it, have them sign a waiver of right to sue, and let that adoptive agency adopt the dog who will eventualy destroy Oreo, which chances are they would have. But at least nobody would be the wiser and no bad publicity because it would be out of the ASPCA's hands. That's exactly what I would have done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJEksJqRvUQ

R.I.P Oreo, We all failed you.

If the behaviorists at the ASPCA deemed her a lost cause, it probably came after a lot of discussion. They are funded by member donations and cannot afford to piss a mass of people off over one animal. Unless another group with similar resources stepped up to claim her--AC&C, Peta, etc.--it would have been foolish to release her into the custody of even the most well-meaning rescue organization.

This is NO different from the weirdos who tune into Nancy Grace and get up to go to candlelight vigils every time one little missing white girl is found dead and reported by the media. Meanwhile, hundreds disappear every year w/out so much as a mention.

Ill say it again, this is not about the dog. These people are making it about themselves.

These people are making it about themselves., Yep, they want to gather supporters, media and money off Ores's death. They are the worst people for animals. Juat as bad as the animal abusers.

You're talking about PETA, right?

Your hatred for PETA is sickening and redundant.

I'd be delighted to attend the candlelight vigil if someone would throw Nancy Grace off a roof.

LMFAO.

jesus christ you people are suckers. this happens a thousand times every goddamn day. you act like this is a special case.

either join the animal rights wackos or go adopt a dog today.

The thing about this story that I have a hard time with is nursing the dog back to health, only to euthanize her. She was thrown from 6 stories, must have been in terrible pain. If killing her is the "humane" thing to do, why not stop her suffering. They chose to go through extensive medical treatment to heal her, and then killed her. Just sounds backwards to me.

If they had euthanized Oreo immediately, you'd have the same knee-jerk reaction from some people you're seeing now. "You can't make that decision so quickly," they'd say. It takes time to properly evaluate a dog's personality. She was probably on painkillers for at least the first few weeks, so little pain was involved. They spent three months observing, studying and evaluating her, which is why they're confident they did the right thing, unlike armchair experts who come to a snap decision that any dog including this one can be rehabilitated, even without having had any contact with the animal. Although it's not really a "decision" so much as an expression of their personal feeling that no dog should be put down for any reason. Oreo could have chomped down on somebody and still these people would say, "Well, she just needs time, she's still in pain."

Isnt it great that the US is so rich and problem-free that people actually get to complain incessantly about the death of a vicious out of control animal, as if its the worst thing imaginable. Living in utopia is great! Hooray for the upper-middle-class!

What?

the saddest part of the Oreo story is that the animal was never in the right hands, how much abuse can noble animal recieve to become that disturbed!?

Human 'inteligence' as tool for destruction!

yeah beacuse nelecting animals would totally fix self inflicted humans problems!

ZERO SUM LOGIC to discuss animal rights is just flawed logic.

The dog was asked for a final statement before execution. It was "woof-woof".

http://www.ua4a.org/AntiDogFighting.html