They’ve landed in hot water.
A tragic incident unfolded at a Washington state marathon when a dog featured by the Humane Society during an adoption event attacked and killed another attendee’s cherished pet. The event left the dog’s owner heartbroken and ignited widespread indignation.
“His owner was sobbing on the ground, holding the [deceased dog] while people gathered around him. It was truly heartbreaking to witness,” recounted Alexis Drugge, who witnessed the aftermath of the fatal attack, in an interview with KOMO news.
The dog responsible for the attack, named Dallas, was donning an “Adopt me” vest near the Tacoma City Marathon finish line at Point Defiance Park on May 3. Under the supervision of a volunteer, Dallas suddenly attacked another dog, according to reports from the local station.
Subsequent to the incident, Dallas, whose breed was not specified, was deemed dangerous and subsequently euthanized, as stated by the Humane Society.
“The Tacoma Humane Society set this handler and rescue dog up for failure,” Drugge expressed angrily. “It is completely unacceptable that they were present at this event.”
Photos posted online showed a bystander comforting the traumatized volunteer while others helped restrain the dog, according to pugetpress.com
Dallas had been adopted from the agency two days earlier then returned for unclear reasons, according to pugetpress.com
The Humane Society said Thursday it is “deeply sorry for the harm” and is reviewing policies regarding how dogs are handled at off-site events.
“We take full responsibility for understanding how this happened and for addressing any deficiencies in our processes, oversight, or safeguards,” the agency said in a statement.“The safety of the animals entrusted to us and the broader community must come first, and in this instance, we did not meet that standard.”
No other details about the dog that was killed or its owner had been released Thursday.
