The emotional toll of behavioral euthanasia of pet dogs on pet guardians, veterinarians, and animal shelters is high; however, we have limited information regarding factors that influence a pet guardian’s decision to euthanize a dog with behavior concerns. In 2022, an online survey of United States pet guardians sought to learn about factors associated with behavioral euthanasia of pet dogs.  

The research found that most dogs had been displaying the concerning behavior for at least a year before the euthanasia decision was made.  The most common reason that people opted for behavioral euthanasia was aggressive behavior toward people followed by aggressive behavior toward other animals. The most common target of aggression toward other animals was dogs living in the same household.  

The median number of bites before a euthanasia decision was three. However, when considering the 77.5% of dogs who behaved aggressively toward people, approximately a 1/3 had bitten at least four times and 12% bit ten or more times.  The majority of dogs broke skin at least once when they bit people or other animals.   

This research offers a peek at reasons why pet guardians opt for behavioral euthanasia. More research is needed on this topic to support dogs and the people who love them. 

Key Takeaways: 

• The most common reasons for behavioral euthanasia amongst survey respondents was aggression toward people followed by aggression to dogs or other animals. 
• Most dogs had been displaying the concerning behavior for at least a year before the euthanasia decision was made.   
• When dogs were euthanized due to aggressive behavior, the majority of those dogs had broken skin at least once. 

The Research: Hitchcock, M., Workman, M. K., Guthrie, A. P., Ruple, A., & Feuerbacher, E. N. (2024). Factors associated with behavioral euthanasia in pet dogs.  Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 11, 1387076. 

Interested in learning more about this research? Miranda Hitchcock will be sharing insights about it on our webcast on October 10, 2024. Register for the webcast today! 

Source: Chew On This