When is a hero dog not a hero? Sadly, the answer seems to be when the dog is a pitbull. Dogs are usually applauded for protecting their owners. For some owners, that is partially the reason they have a dog.  Recently though, a pitbull who protected his owner from someone who was threatening her was euthanized. 

From reading news reports, the facts of this case seem clear. A woman’s ex-husband came to her house, grabbed the woman and kicked her dog. The dog bit the man once. It did not sound like all that serious of a bite, and it certainly did not sound like an attack by an unprovoked, enraged beast bent on killing. 

After the dog was taken to animal control, the owner did what she could to save her dog, but the judge in the case ruled against her. A sanctuary came forward that was willing to take the dog, who could have then lived out his life in safety. Still, the judge ruled the dog must be euthanized. 

So, a dog with no bite history, who had been provoked and was defending his owner, was euthanized. I am not a lawyer, but from what I understand of the statues concerning dangerous dogs, this dog should not even have been considered dangerous, considering the circumstances. 

Do you wonder, if the dog had been a Golden Retriever or a Lab, maybe even a German Shepherd, would he have been hailed as a hero? I suspect he would have been. Had the dog been another breed, we would be celebrating the bonds between humans and dogs, but instead we are left to mourn.