Bandit, languishing lonely in the newly emptied THS faces an almost certain death very soon.
He is without advocates, without support, without anyone that has a good word to say about this sad dog. Garth Jerome, basing his request on advice from "experts" (please advise who these experts are) and veternarians - both THS and OSPCA - says he wants him dead. And freely admits he was ultimately responsible for killing the other pit bulls (and other dogs).
First, since when are vets behavioural experts? Throughout this entire debacle I have seen vets cited again and again as the individuals who advocate the animals being considered for euthansia. First, of course vets have the right to deem the animal euthanized for reasons that are "medical"; HOWEVER, such reasons if cited you will note are NEVER clearly explained ('medical' certaintly can encompass a wide spectrum of conditions- some of course which even to the layperson seem compassionate while others are completely and utterly subjective and simply a useful - and often deliberately confusing - way of obsfucating why they want the animal gone). But behavioural? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that it is NOT in a veternarians' scope to decide behavioural issues? They are concerned with science and medicine, but are not, I believe, expected to be experts in psychological and emotional issues with animals. Yet Garth Jerome - a scientiest, I might remind people here- finds it convenient to constantly rely on SCIENCE to decide what are in truth psychological and emotional issues in an animal.
Media has spotlighted Bandit as the "awful pit bull" that put 300 stitches into a young boy's face... which did happen. The fact that the grandmother had left the child alone with the dog; the fact the child was poking a pencil deep inside his eardrum... well that doesn't get talked about a lot does it? NOT that I don't feel for that child - it is not his fault the adults in his life failed him by leaving him first of all with a dog unsupervised and secondly by not teaching him how to deal with animals.
I only met Bandit after his horrific incarceration in Tim Trow's office for several years - I found him far more a black lab mix than pit bull; in the width of the eyes, yeah, some pitty- but mostly lab to my eyes. And shy.... terrified of the world which had suddenly opened up to him again.The Courts (after a lot of money and a lot of wangling) had basically given him to Tim aka THS, never to leave again... which I don't think at any time was necessarly a HUMANE decision incidentally.
When the OSCPA raided in November and I began to hear the media speak about "Bandit"... I was like, WHO is Bandit??? Almost 3 years there, for a long time 4 days a week and I had no CLUE there was a dog being held captive in an office upstairs ....
When dog walkers were allowed back, there he was in the back hall... a frightened animal that most of us "newer" walkers didn't recognize ... in fact, most of us didn't know who he was and blithly attached a leash to this shy pittie and put on his muzzle as the law said and brought him out... or I should say dragged him out becuase he was frightened... he was frightened of all the space, he was frightened of all the new faces, he was frightened of the world, poor little laddy.
Poor Bandit ... he doesn't stand a chance, does he?
Bandit, abused, neglected, denied and derided by every person in his life that should have taught him, protected him, nurtured and given him hope.
Reviled for his terrible mauling of a child, incarcerated in a crate, seeing daylight only occasionally through a rooftop foray and then back into isolation and shunning....
What about Bandit? Why do I think, believe, KNOW that his ultimate fate will again be one of cruelty, derision and denial...
I don't know what Bandit's fate should be. I don't know who Garth Jerome's "experts" are and have nothing but contempt for the vets that have clearly displayed their lack of interest in maintaining the THS as a "no kill" shelter. What I do know is that Bandit again, has simply become a pawn, a chess piece being moved around a board... and that no one is standing in his corner.
What about Bandit?
If Smokey, Peti, Socks, Captain and Tiger didn't stand a chance, how can Bandit? He already has a target painted on him.
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty clear that the order to kill Bandit will come tomorrow since no one even tried to advocate for anything else....All were unanimous that he should die:
ReplyDeleteThis made my blood boil:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontohumanesociety/article/794622--bandit-s-days-appear-numbered?bn=1
"The chances of the dog Bandit remaining alive much longer slipped Tuesday when a court heard the new Toronto Humane Society director wants the animal destroyed.
Director Garth Jerome said he has euthanized six pit bulls since taking over March 1 and is ready to put down the notorious pit bull-Labrador cross on the advice from experts. They include... See More two animal behaviorists, he said, and veterinarians from his own charitable organization as well as the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals."
Redstar - I agree, I knew from the beginning that poor Bandit probably didn't have a chance; and i might point out that is as much Tim Trow's fault as what is happening now. Incarcerating a dog in a limited,unsocialized environment, depriving him of fresh air, access to the world, interactin with other dogs and people was its own death sentence and a cruel and unjustifiable way of keeping any dog.
ReplyDeleteI just feel that NO ONE has ever looked at this dog as who he really is - abused, neglected, abandoned.
The small unsupervised child who unthinkingly abused Bandit and suffered terrible consequences was failed by his caretakers.
ReplyDeleteBandit, unsupervised, equivalent to a small child in reasoning and moral capacity, reacted to the pain, and was failed by his caretakers, and has now been delivered by an absentee board to his executioners.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary championed and rehabilitated the Vick dogs. But the THS director has stated that it is a shelter, not a sanctuary.
Funny how words like "shelter" and "euthanasia" are spun.
redstar- my point exactly- NOT the child's fault but the responsiblity of those who should have been cherishing and ensuring his safety. Bandit reacted as a dog will react when in terrible pain.
ReplyDeleteThen, to compound things, that poor dog was incarcerated for most of his life in a small office, not even let outside except on a rooftop patio - and that is as horrific as anything I've read anywhere.
I'm not sure who he has bitten at the THS; i know a few of us (before the ospca brown shirts shut us down) took him out - we were careful becuase he was VERY fearful, not just of people but of the WORLD - it was all so damn scary for the poor thing. But having said that, I know of a couple of dog walkers who were able to interact with him amazingly well (rosanna for instance who is the pit bull dog whisperer).
I don't say the poor dog does not have issues, but what breaks my heart is that NO ONE is willing even to give him a chance - again.
Bandit lived a surprisingly good life. He spent
ReplyDeletethe day with human companionship, with people coming in and out of the office all day long.
He was very well socialized. He got exercised
regularly in the courtyard. Most pets are left alone at least 10 hours a day while their owners work. He was a very good dog. There were some employees who really looked forward
to his death.
Margaret,
ReplyDeleteBandit was not well socialized. He bit three staff members and attacked a cat after he was admitted to the THS for mauling a child. Bandit's story is a sad one BUT it is important that people look at the situation for what it was.
When I worked at the THS some of the animal care workers were actually afraid of Bandit. They weren't afraid of him because he attacked a child. There were many dogs at the THS with bite histories. They were afraid of him because of the behaviour he showed inside the THS when staff members were trying to take care of him. This is a dog that bit at least three people who worked at the THS. He was unpredictable and nobody was working with him to adjust his behaviour.
The THS failed Bandit. They should of
a)euthanized him when he was admitted
or
b)Hired experienced trainers and behaviour experts to put a rehab program into place.
or
c)put a request in with the courts to get permission to send him to a qualified animal sanctuary.
Living at the THS for 6+ years is inhumane. I don't care how you try to spin it.
I agree Melanie. It is unavoidable that almost any dog will develop territorial issues when being kept in the office at all times as Bandit was. Most of the dogs kept for a time downstairs in the offices would develop territorial issues (Teddy,and also the Shepherd with the lame back legs -forgot her name-).
ReplyDeleteI wish the would have send him to an animal sanctuary. After all - he passed two of those "tests". But suddenly 2 vets decided to recommend that he should be killed. In my opinion he was sacrificed so that the OSPCA is leaving the building.