Bad birthday boy Bruce
"Put him down." That was my advice, which in my career I had only given it once before. I believed he would continue to bit and injure people and animals even after extensive rehabilitation. This was a difficult statement to make, and one I had given a lot of thought.
Bruce had attacked horses, dogs, and a longhorn bull. He terrorized his neighborhood. He attacked a toddler from his own family and latched onto his head, hurting him badly. I believed he was a danger to the public, and that at his advanced age (10), the time and resources required to attempt to rehabilitate him could be better invested in other dogs. But the shelter staff refused to put him down, and continued to look for the right home.
They were right; I was wrong. Check back soon to read the story about how Bruce the bulldog taught me a valuable lesson.