Animal shelters and rescues do so many incredible things for dogs in need. Yet, anyone can make a heartbreaking mistake. Jim Lamonte from the K9 PTSD Center strongly believes that the Rhode Island Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) made a mistake that cost an innocent dog’s life. They euthanized a German Shepherd in their care due to aggressive behaviors, but Lamonte had offered space for the dog to get a second chance.
Now, Lamonte plans to sue the shelter for not attempting all options before ending the dog’s life. Of course, there’s always more than one side to a story though.
A Dog Worth Fighting for
Lamonte created the K9 PTSD Center in Seekonk as a way to give a second chance to former police K9s. While Alfie the German Shepherd was never a working dog, Lamonte was still willing to help. After all, his organization was made for dogs with stories like Alfie’s.
Alfie arrived at the RISPCA after his human shot him. Of course, the 4-year-old dog wasn’t the same after that. He was more hesitant of humans, especially men. Luckily, the RISPCA staff were able to gain his trust with treats. They advertised him frequently on Facebook and they referred to him as “such a good kid.”
But when Alfie finally got adopted, the shelter’s attitude seemed to change. His new family claimed that he immediately began showing “dangerously aggressive behavior.” So, the shelter made the tough decision of scheduling Alfie to be euthanized.
Alfie is Offered a Second Chance
When Lamonte heard Alfie’s story, he couldn’t let the dog’s life end that way. He claimed to have space for one dog at his facility, so he offered it to Alfie. He believes that his organization could’ve made a difference for the German Shepherd. Yet, the shelter denied his request to help with very little consideration.
“I never, when I built this center specifically to rescue dogs like Alfie, in my wildest dreams believed that I would have to fight with a rescue to rescue a dog,” Lamonte said.
The shelter euthanized Alfie shortly after, leaving Lamonte confused and heartbroken. As it turns out, he wasn’t the only one fighting for the dog. Kaela Rose Gentile claimed that she was fired from the RISPCA for trying to save Alfie from euthanasia. She knew Alfie well and believed he deserved another chance. The shelter refused to speak publicly about the reason for Gentile’s termination.
Miscommunication Gets in the Way
It’s easy to point fingers and place blame in situations like this, but not everything is as clear as it seems. There seemed to be some miscommunication on both sides of the story. The RISPCA contacted animal control for information about Lamonte’s organization, and they were told that Lamonte was unable to take in another dog.
“She told us that the facility was a quality facility and the person did a good job with the animals but he was over capacity,” said RISCPA President Wayne Kezirian. “He was licensed for 10 dogs and he had 14, and she would not allow him to take in another animal.”
When asked about that information, Lamonte claims that it’s inaccurate. He said their animal control officer hadn’t been there in four months, so they now only had nine dogs in their care. At the RISPCA, Kezirian said they worked with Alfie for two months, but were left with no other choice.
There’s a lot of unclear information in this situation, but Lamonte is still standing his ground. He doesn’t want any more dogs to be put down while there are people offering support to them. So, this is not the end of Alfie’s story, but instead, it’s the beginning.
H/T: wpri.com
Featured Image: @RISPCA/Facebook
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