Shelter Euthanizes Dog After Volunteer Has Face ‘Savagely Mauled’

An animal shelter in North Haven, Connecticut, revealed it euthanized a dog that viciously attacked a volunteer, leaving her with severe facial injuries.

The decision to euthanize Sarge was announced on March 12, following consultations with veterinarians, animal behaviorists and animal control officials, who determined that the dog’s aggression was “pathologically abnormal” and untreatable.

According to a statement shared by The Animal Haven, the incident began on March 5 when the female volunteer entered the pit-bull type dog’s room. “A volunteer who had been regularly visiting with Sarge opened the door to his room. Without provocation, Sarge jumped at the volunteer before she could even enter the room and savagely mauled her face,” it said in a statement.

The woman suffered level five facial bites—the most severe classification short of fatal injury—and has undergone reconstructive surgery, with more procedures expected.

Newsweek reached out to The Animal Haven via email for comment.

The shelter had initially placed Sarge in quarantine to monitor for rabies, as experts warned that a sudden behavioral shift might be linked to the disease. The victim was prophylactically treated for rabies, and initially, the shelter said it still hoped it could find a place for Sarge.

“When Sarge’s quarantine is over, we hope to find another shelter willing to accept him that has the facilities and trained staff necessary to handle Sarge appropriately without danger to other animals or human beings,” it said in a statement.

As the story of the dog attack spread, a heated debate began online, with many supporting euthanasia as an ethical choice in this instance.

“Rescues and shelters have an ethical obligation to make euthanasia decisions on animals that pose risk to human life,” Abigail Renee wrote online.

While Rowan Bailey said on Facebook: “Behavioral Euthanasia is sometimes the kindest and most caring choice available. An animal that reaches that level of fear and aggression is not a well or happy animal.”

Others were steadfast in the opinion that Sarge should be given another chance and that euthanasia is never the right answer.

But on March 12, the shelter announced that Sarge had been “humanely” euthanized.

“Given that, the possibility that Sarge would again attack and severely injure another human being was far too great to responsibly and ethically be ignored. As much as we would have loved to have simply transferred Sarge to another facility, we could not do so without endangering others and exposing them to very significant risk,” it said.

Despite the incident, The Animal Haven reaffirmed its no-kill shelter status, and clarified that euthanasia in cases of irremediable canine aggression is in line with the Best Friends Animal Society’s definition of no-kill.

“We knew and loved Sarge and greatly mourn his passing,” the shelter said. “We understand that many people will be very upset with this outcome. We can only hope that they understand, at least a little, the horrible dilemma that we were in.”