The bare, honest truth.
There are posts floating around the internet that say that Loui J will be euthanized if not adopted today. This information is false.
As a no-kill shelter, Lenawee Humane Society fully commits to every single animal that is accepted into our organization. Sometimes animals are sick, or aggressive, but still we provide them every single option possible. Sometimes this means surgery, foster homes, extended rehabilitation, and more. Sometimes, despite all of our hard work, there is no happy outcome.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce that Loui J, a five year old pitbull mix who has been with us since November 2015, has been deemed a threat to the community and will be euthanized.
This decision was not made alone nor was it made quickly. This decision was made after consulting with several behavior experts and exhausting all viable options. It has been a long, painful and emotional decision for staff and volunteers who have worked with Loui J on a daily basis for the past nine months. However, it has been determined that Loui J is selective with people he trusts and could be dangerous towards those he does not.
Several weeks ago, we shared a video of Loui J greeting one of our volunteers with a happy dance. Many people fell in love with him then and several interested adopters came forward. Since that day, there has been an incident that has forced us to take a closer look at Loui J’s adoptability. During a supervised meet-and-greet, Loui J severely bit a woman several times. Loui J was then held on a 10-day bite quarantine, required by Michigan Law, while we agonized over his outcome. Since such incident, it has been determined that in the best interest of Loui J and the community that Loui J be euthanized.
Before allowing Loui J to be put up for adoption, we had to be 100% certain that this would not happen again. The question on all our minds was, “Would we have confidence in Loui J around our own family members? Could we risk another attack?” The answer was always NO. It is our duty as a humane society not only to protect the animals in our care, but also to ensure the safety of the public. Because of this bite and because Loui J’s triggers are unknown, we cannot risk a human life by placing him in someone’s home.
Please understand that this decision has been a long, difficult, process and very emotional for staff and volunteers involved. Loui J has been loved and respected during his time with us, and we will continue to honor his memory. Our hearts are broken and we know yours must be too. Thank you for your understanding.
As a transparent organization, we believe it is extremely important to share this accurate information with all our followers and supporters and offer the opportunity for questions to be answered. If you have more questions, you are more than welcome to speak to our executive director directly at 517-263-3463 x107.
