In the past, animals have been euthanized after inflicting injuries leading to the death of the victim. “This must be studied on a case-by-case basis based on the advice of a veterinary behaviorist and the police investigation.insists Sébastien de Jonge, director of operations at Gaia. “If the animal has to remain in captivity in a cage without human contact, that’s no life either.” Fabrizio Follacchio, director of the Help Animals shelter, is convinced that the final solution is not the only possibility of preventing fatal bites from happening again. “It’s tough work that can’t be done in a shelter. If I’m told that the dog bit a child, I’m not sure I’ll take it in. This animal has no place in a shelter.”he admits.
Animal abuse, a scourge on the rise in Wallonia: “Insecurity, depression, drug addiction or alcoholism are the causes of neglect”
In the event that the animal is not killed, the question arises of what becomes of it. “We must be very rigorous and not opt too quickly for euthanasia. Behavioral treatment must be applied. This can range from medicalizing the dog to relearning and resocialization. There are psychiatric illnesses that exist in dogs with behavioral disorders (ranging from fear to aggressive reaction)”explains the veterinary behaviorist.
An analysis of the dangerousness of the animal and the risks of recurrence takes into account the circumstances of the bite, the type of injury, the consequences, the size of the dog, the conditions of development and socialization. “You don’t euthanize a dog because it killed. We don’t do it in humans. There is no reason why it should be different in animals. A dog doesn’t taste blood. Just because he bit doesn’t mean he’ll bite again. If it’s a feeding and hunting behavior, the likelihood of it happening again is very high.”continues Dr. Vincent Dethier.
-Soon bereavement or birth leave for your pet? “It would take three weeks to a month of leave when we welcome an animal”
A list lists a dozen dogs considered dangerous (American Staffordshire Terrier, English Terrier, Pitbull Terrier, Fila Braziliero, Tosa Inu, Akita Inu, Dogo Argentino, Bull Terrier, Mastiff, Ridgeback Rhodesian, Dogue de Bordeaux, Band Dog, Rottweiler) . If for the veterinary behaviorist this is an aberration because the breeds included are victims of a “dirty face crime”, Fabrizio Follacchio believes that it should be extended to others such as the Australian Shepherd and the Golden Retriever. “There is a lot of inbreeding among them. There are some breeds that are much more likely than others to cause problems. Reproduction must be limited because a litter contains around a dozen puppies and it is impossible to find 12 correct families. It would also be necessary to list all the dogs in the municipality, identification is not enough.”
