“Target’s Law” May Prevent Euthanization Mistakes in Shelters

Destiny with her new dog dad, Brian Sperazza

There’s a bittersweet development in the sad story of the mistaken euthanization of war hero dog Target.

Last month an employee at an Arizona county animal shelter did not follow standard euthanization procedures and put down Target, a Shepherd mix who had saved the lives of 50 soldiers in Afghanistan. Target had escaped from her backyard and was waiting for her dog dad, Sgt. Terry Young, to come pick her up.

Even in death, Target helped to save a life. Destiny, Target’s Pit Bull-mix kennelmate who was scheduled to die that morning, was adopted by Brian Sperazza of Long Island, N.Y. Sperazza is a member of Guardians of Rescue, a nonprofit group started by Robert Misseri, who also founded Rescue Ink.

Destiny was flown from Arizona to New York on December 7 courtesy of Pet Airways, the first airline for four-legged passengers.

“It seems perfectly fitting that today, on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, we acknowledge and bring awareness to the comfort that dogs on the battlefield provide our soldiers,” Dan Wiesel, president of Pet Airways, said in a statement.

“Target died for a reason … She saved this dog,” Sperazza told Newsday. “We need to get more laws to go into these shelters and protect these dogs so this never happens again.”

Destiny is going to become a poster pup for “Target’s Law,” legislation proposed by Misseri that would call for stronger euthanization standards and extended hold times for dogs in municipal shelters.

“These shelters are euthanizing too quickly,” Misseri told Newsday. He said Target’s Law will protect animals in municipal shelters and hold employees responsible for any negligence.

Destiny may soon be making appearances around the country. Misseri hopes she can meet face-to-face with legislators to show them the value of shelter dogs. He told CY Interview that Target has become a hero again by bringing attention to the fact that her tragic ending is not unique.

“We hear of these cases all the time about a dog mistakenly euthanized because it had a wrong number on it or because a photo just looked too similar,” Misseri said.

He stressed the importance of microchipping pets to help prevent such tragedies.

“A national hero dog was destroyed,” Misseri told Newsday. “People need to follow procedures – obviously in this case, no one did.”

PHOTO: Newsday