The Pueblo Chieftain: Ethan and euthanasia
Let’s start with the obvious: The death of Ethan, a German shepherd euthanized by Pueblo Animal Services, is a sad story. That story became a subject of discussion at the Pueblo City Council meeting this week after a number of people complained to council members about the dog’s death.
Council President Chris Nicoll questioned PAS Director Julie Justman about why Ethan couldn’t have been spared. Well, PAS did have sound reasons for its decision. And those reasons illustrate why the Pueblo Animal Protection Act is such a flawed piece of legislation.
Ethan was put to death because, after being placed with an adoptive family, he killed the family’s cat in front of the family’s children. The family returned the dog to PAS, where officials determined that Ethan met both the state and county definitions for a dangerous animal.
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