To Tricia J. in Destrehan, LA who had Lucky the Beagle euthanized

Dear Tricia J,

I am sorry for the recent loss of your father, but frankly more sorry for the senseless and unnecessary death of Lucky. Your father was 75 years old and had a long and fulfilling life. Lucky survived Katrina as a puppy, was shuttled around and then spent two years with your family - her third "home."

And then you had her killed.

Several people offered to help Lucky find a new home with absolutely nothing in it for themselves. I know that some animal rescuers can become overbearing, self-righteous and dogmatic; I know that some can be "too much" to deal with at times. But I read over all the emails between you and those offering to help and they were simply offering to help - not being judgmental or critical of your decision to "re-home" her.

BUT, in spite of that, I don't understand how you can have this dog, any dog, as part of your family for two years and then decide that you just don't have room for her. A dog that "loved people" and was "great with children". Those are your words.

It makes no sense that you, your husband, your mother and your two kids can live in a house that's big enough for all five of you yet there's no room for a 25 lb. dog? One that "never once had an accident in the house."
A completely trained dog.
A spayed, sweet, healthy, friendly dog?



You also claimed that the backyard of your new house is too small? Too bad. I have a small, weed-infested backyard with no fence and I own three dogs. Now I know that this may come as a news flash, but I WALK my dogs at least twice a day, sometimes more in nice weather, and I take them to the dog park to run and play as often as possible.

You have a husband and two kids and between the four of you it was impossible to walk one medium-sized dog a few times a day?

Dogs are not meant to be left alone in back yards no matter their breed or size. They can escape. They can get stolen. Or they can just be very sad and lonely to be out in the yard when the rest of their pack is in the house.

I have a good friend (and fellow Katrina reunion volunteer) who was recently forced to sell her home due to having one of those mortgages, and had 6 weeks to find a house to rent. She has a husband, a pre-schooler and 3 PIT BULLS - not the easiest situation. But like most of us whose pets are part of our families, she was no more willing to give up her dogs than she would be to give up her son. So they worked really hard and finally found a landlord who was willing to rent to them. All of them; three pit bulls included. Imagine that! If she could find a house to RENT with 3 PIT BULLS, you could have taken one house-broken, sweet, lovable Beagle with you to the new house you bought.

You even knew that the St. Charles shelter was so full that if you took her there, she'd likely be euthanized. Well, thanks to you, she was euthanized.

So what went wrong here? Was this whole thing a scam? Were the logistics just too complicated for you? I've heard that it came down to you wanting her gone so you could show your house. For real? Like you couldn't take her with you for the hour or so the realtor was coming over with prospective buyers? You even said in an email to the person offering to help find a new home for Lucky that you didn't want to "break my kids' hearts."

Well, I'm guessing that you did.