My sister and her husband brought a beautiful husky pup into their home 13 years ago. Her name was Nikita.
My sister and her husband loved this dog. Nikita was their only child for over a decade. Then my daughter was born, and we learned Nikita was a jealous pup. She had spent over 10 years having much attention to herself. A couple winters ago, as my daughter crawled along the ground at a chalet we were staying at with extended family for the holidays, Nikita bore her teeth at my baby girl and for the first time we all realized she was a possible danger to kids. My husband immediately removed our daughter from the situation, and we never let the two of them get that close to each other again.
A year later, my sister became pregnant. After a decade of trying to conceive, my sister’s belly swelled with the delicate package that was to be my niece. After a rocky pregnancy, the miracle that was her heart and soul, was born. My sister and her husband were torn. What should they do about their beautiful dog? They took every precaution to keep their precious baby safe and still keep Nikita, their dog, living at home, but one swipe towards their daughter was, understandably, all it took for my sister and her husband to start searching for a new home, a good home, for their beloved Nikita. It broke their hearts to let her go, but how could they live with themselves if anything ever happened to their baby girl? Disallowing any negligence on their part to come between them and the protection of their daughter, they put their baby’s safety above all risk. Three times they found a home for their dog, and three times she was returned. Each time their dog left they struggled with mixed feelings, between the sadness of letting her go, and the peace of mind that their child was not at risk. Plus, with a new job for my brother-in-law, he was traveling so much that Nikita was often in a kennel. They wanted her to have stability. Each time Nikita returned, they felt they had failed.
The third time Nikita returned, they diligently looked for another good home. They contacted the humane society, rescue agencies, posted ads on Kijiji, Facebook, and so on. To no avail. Then, their dog bit my brother-in-law’s hand and drew blood.
Today, with dreadful hearts, they took their 13 year old husky to the vet to be put down.
Encouraging emails were spatted with heinous letters and phone calls. One disturbing individual cowardly phoned my sister with a blocked number, asked for her by name, and said, “Shame on you. You should have given away your baby before you put down your dog.”
You should have given away your BABY before you put down your dog? Really?
Our family are animal loves. My sister has had birds, cats, and a dog. My father has had three huskies, a number of cats, two rabbits and a mouse. I have enjoyed the company of two cats until they both passed away. We love animals. We also know where to draw the line and prioritize between the safety of an innocent baby, and the life of an animal who, as loved as she was, made three attempts to threaten two children and one adult. What kind of phone calls would they be receiving if they neglected to make the hard, but right, decision, and an attempt on their child’s life was successful?
My sister and her husband exhausted every attempt to find a home for their dog. Every attempt failed. You might be thinking, “Did they try this?” Yes. “Did they try that?” Yes. Putting their pup to rest was a last resort, and it became they only option left at their desperate disposal.
I want to show my sister and her husband that they’re supported. They are missing their sweet, but jealous, husky girl and feel guilty enough, but as parents to a vulnerable little human girl, there is no doubt in my mind they made the best choice they could.
Will you join me in helping to lift their spirits? If so, please leave a comment here so they will be encouraged that their tough decision, was the right decision.
Yes, Shawna’s-sister-and-husband! You definitely did the right thing! It was a very difficult choice, I’m sure (I grew up with huskies, gorgeous dogs!) but in the end, the baby had to be kept safe. I’m sorry you have had to deal with a negative response to a difficult situation. Hopefully those people never find themselves in a similar situation.
This is definitely a very difficult and heart-crunching decision. If putting the dog to sleep is the only option, we just have to choose between the safety of the human baby over the keeping of the dog when both of them cannot co-exist safely together.
I don’t mean to justify the decision as I am always against killing animals or putting animals in unnecessary sufferings. But spin the option in a positive way, the dog was already 13-years-old and being an elder in dog’s years. Nikita had been given over a decade of love and caring by your sister’s family. Even to the last day, she died comfortably. I believe this is the best your sister can give to her. And I truly believe your sister and her husband have weighed all the options and this is the only option which they can express their love for Nikita to her very last day on earth.
Absolutely. Thanks for your support Margaret. ~ Shawna
My heart breaks for your sister and her family, even if I didn’t know her personally any one could obviously see from reading her blog how much they loved that dog.
Unfortunately regardless how much we love our pets, we do sometimes have to make difficult decisions regarding their care and our own. Your sister made the only option available to her after all avenues had been exhausted and she made the right decision. Personally I feel she went above and beyond what most of us would have done. Keeping a pet that has attacked its owner would have been irresponsible and would have invited further and even more vicious attacks not only to the family but to any others.
My first dogs as a child were two recued mutts called Muffin and Ginger, after about 10 years together Ginger died and we got a new puppy that completely ignored Muffin. He didn’t take this well and started lashing out, he bit my mother and my brother and since we loved him, he was scolded but life when on. My father worked from home and Muffin often spent the day sleeping at his feet, but my father had clients visit often and Muffin started to snap at them so he had to be locked up when they were others there. One day Muffin lunged at me and my father stepped in between us and my father was left with huge bite marks in his stomache, arms and ear. Our family easily made the decision that no matter how much we loved Muffin, it was not worth risking our lives or the safety of others.
I know a remarkable 16 year old, although an incredibly intelligent young man, he will always walk with a limp, have a paralyzed arm and speak with a slur all because the family pet attacked him when he was a baby. She made the right decision, no matter how much it hurt, it was the right decision.
What a story Karen. That reminds me of when I was a kid and I got bit by a dog when I was little, in Barbados. Your story is especially powerful because it speaks to what can happen if a parent doesn’t choose to do the hard thing, and those consequences are even more devastating. Thank you for sharing. ~ Shawna
I faced the same situation when my oldest daughter (now 33) was a baby. Our beloved Max had never been around children and was old & blind to boot. When my daughter started to crawl, he attacked her. The decision to put Max to sleep was heart wrenching, but really, a no-brainer. Yes, animals are part of the family. But every fibre of a mother’s being is focused on protecting their child.
Your sister did everything she could to find a good home, but in the end, did the only thing that she could. She protected her daughter.
Thank you for your support Barbara. You are so right, and you’ve lived it first hand. Thank you. ~ Shawna
Thanks for the support and this wonderful post.
I met Nikita and she was a wonderful animal. Her owners tried every possible way to find her a new home, to no avail. What option did they really have? Their child had to come first and they did what I would have done under the same circumstances. I know they did not take this decision lightly and it will have caused them enough grief without others adding to it with their negative and hurtful comments. Let Nikita and this situation RIP
Well said Jackie. ~ Shawna
It was easy to see how much Tim and Joy loved Nikita, so it must have been very difficult for them to have her put down. However, they made the right decision. We choose to have pets, but our children are a gift from God.