Justice for Target! Afghanistan Dog Hero Wrongfully Killed/Euthanized

 Don't let Target's death be in vain! Let Target be a hero again. We need to use her tragedy  to set an example of what needs to be STOPPED, we need complete shelter reform and a NO-KILL nation!

 If this was a human being, I am sure the repercussions would be immediate and the appropriate criminal and civil actions against those involved involved would be pursued swiftly. THIS IS A DISGRACE! BEYOND SHAMEFUL! JUSTICE TO TARGET NOW!

     *****Please add comments here - we need OPRAH to raise AWARENESS of the "mistakes" that are all to regular in our government run shelters -*****

http://www.oprah.com/community/thread/148170

 

This is not at all unusual for 'animals shelters' to have mix-ups. It happens all the time. Some people critize Sgt. Young but that is blame misplaced. The animal care shelters in the U.S. with the exception of only a very few are run rather poorly.
The girl/woman who did the mixup should not only be fired but totally embarassed in the media.  Killing the 'wrong' dog!  What an OUTRAGE! This should be a no-kill country.

 Target has survived being shot at, having been shot,  run over all by the Afghans, including surviving 25 pounds of explosives by a suicide bombing terrorist, but she sure couldn't survive our government run shelters! Yes this is an OUTRAGE!

Her medal was never returned to Sgt Young , we demand it back!

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                     Target, A Military Hero in Canine Clothing

 

I am often surprised at how emotionally involved I can be in a situation in which I played no part.

How is it that I can feel so much pain when a dog, a dog that I do not know, is accidentally euthanized in shelter? Why is it that my heart aches so much for that dog? Why is it that I can visit the last moment of that dog's life when I close my eyes, and have to shake my head like an etch-a-sketch to erase it?

I have seen many animals euthanized in my lifetime.  Some were my own pets.  Many were owned by others. Many were owned by no one.  I am proud to say that in my current practice, euthanasia is performed for terminally ill or seriously behaviorally challenged animals only.  My career choice has not always provided such a fortunate path, but it has led me to where I am today.  As a result of my experience, it is relatively easy for me to visually imagine this unknown dog walking down a hall for the last time, taking her last breath.  I grieve for her and for her family as if I knew them.

Every dog is special, but Target had a special story, a wonderful history.

Target was one of three young dogs who alerted a sleeping troop of soldiers in Afghanistan to a suicide bomber.  The suicide bomber was trying to enter the barracks and detonate a bomb wrapped around his body.  The attempt, had it succeeded, could have killed or wounded dozens of US soldiers while they slept.  Two of the dogs attacked the bomber keeping him from entering the barracks, while Target barked to alert the sleeping US soldiers to the intruder.

AP File Photo of Target

The bomb detonated during the struggle outside the barracks.  The suicide bomber was killed, but the dogs were also injured in the blast.  While one dog did not survive the blast, the other two were saved after being provided veterinary care.  The two dogs were side by side with the soldiers for the remainder of their stay in Afghanistan.

Photo From Facebook Group "Puppy Rescue Mission"

When two of the soldiers returned home, they contacted "Puppy Rescue Mission"  about the dogs they were forced to leave behind.  The group raised over $20,000 to bring the dogs to the States to become part of the soldiers' families.  A bond had been created during wartime, between the heroes with two legs, and the heroes with four legs.

In July 2010, the dogs arrived a put all four paws on US soil.  There were TV cameras, and reporters.  The dogs received a heroes welcome.  They were featured on Oprah and CNN.  Then they each went home with their soldier, two soldiers that had also survived the suicide bomber's attack.  Target moved to Arizona to be with Army Sgt. Terry Young and his family.

Just a few months later, on Friday, August 12, 2010, Sgt. Young realized that the gate to their back yard had been left open and Target had wandered from the yard.  He did not realize that she had wandered into a neighbor's yard and had already been picked up by animal control.  He contacted all the local TV and radio stations, who had published reports of the hero dog's arrival in Arizona and it seemed everyone knew to keep their eyes open for Target, the Military Hero.  At least, everyone that watched the news knew.

That night, Sgt. Young had found Target's photo on the Petfinder website that represented a local shelter.  He was relieved that she was safe, but wanted her home.  He phoned the shelter but it was after hours, and he thought they were closed until Monday.

He arrived at 9 am to retrieve Target. The shelter personnel brought Target to the soldier, but it was not the same dog that Sgt. Young saw in the photo on their site.  It was not Target.  They brought him the wrong dog.  They promptly put that dog back in it's kennel, and looked for Target.  The soldier waited for one hour, when a teary eyed employee came back to him, apologizing, and stating that Target had mistakenly been euthanized just minutes before the soldier's arrival.

While the world grieves the loss of a Hero, a family grieves the loss of a family member.  I hope the shelter spared the dog who was due to die that fateful morning.  If they did, Target has saved one more life by sacrificing her own.  I hope that dog can go on to enjoy a new adoptive family, with thanks to Target.

Sgt. Young had stated, ""I just can't believe that something like this would happen to such a good dog."

It is a tragedy, but walking a good dog to it's death in this country happens every hour of every day!  That is why the person who euthanized this wonderful, calm, loving animal did not hesitate to perform the duty that they are paid to perform.  Wonderful dogs like Target die not because they are not "good dogs" but because we buy the puppy that looks so cute in the pet store window, or because we fall in love with an online photo of a puppy from a commercial breeder/puppy mill, instead of adopting from our local shelter.

The dogs that die each day in shelters in our country often have unknown pasts, and once in the shelter, their future is unknown.  In each of those dogs, there may be another hero.  A dog who did perform an amazing feet like lying at the foot of the bed as his owner died from cancer.  In each of those dogs, there may be a dog with the potential to become a hero.  Hero or not, all of these "good dogs" deserve a chance to live, and deserve a chance to give love and get love.

Dogs are over bred in this country.  There are more dogs and cats, puppies and kittens than there are homes for them.  They are being euthanized annually by the MILLIONS in US shelters!  If this was not a normal routine for this employee... if only the ill of health, or ill behaved animals were euthanized in shelters, perhaps something would have CLICKED that saved Target's life Monday morning as she walked to that room.  But that is not the case.  To that employee, this was just another good dog, going to a bad room.

Target was not the only good dog to die that morning.  There were many others in shelters everywhere.

The employee made a mistake by euthanizing the wrong dog, and another dog, likely a good dog, was the one that should have been euthanized.  But  this employee performed a flawed daily routine, and did not think twice about the act of euthanizing a good dog.

Perhaps Target's death can bring this issue of disposable pets to public eye:

"DON'T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER PETS DIE!"

I hope that the world sees Target's story and can recognize how often we euthanize good animals in shelters.  I hope that people will read Target's story and it will motivate them.  If you love animals, you cannot sit idly by while they suffer. You need to do something! Please spay and neuter your pet. Please adopt from a local shelter or rescue. Please volunteer with and donate to a local shelter or rescue.

One of the saddest statistics is that there are more animal lovers than there are animal shelter volunteers.  YOU can do something to help.  Call your shelter and find out what it is!  If you love animals, you need to ACT on that!

Rest in Peace, Target.  You are loved by millions who never knew you but grieve your loss, and the loss of all the other furry heroes that lose their lives in shelters daily.

I will continue to shake my etch-a-sketch head to try to erase that bad image of your final moments, and try to visual you forever like this:

Photo from Facebook page of "Puppy Rescue Mission"

My prayers go out to the Young family for their loss.  You have the sympathy and support of millions!

If you would like to donate to the Puppy Rescue Mission, who continues to bring back the furry comrades of our fighting soldiers, please visit their website at http://puppyrescuemission.deco-dog.com/home?ma=4 .

Tomorrow, you should call or visit your local shelter, and see how you can help...


Veterinary Rescuer
Source:http://vetrescue.blogspot.com/2010/11/target-military-hero-in-canine-clothing.html
 

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                                          Here is the Article Below

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Target, the dog who survived Afghan war and melted hearts on Oprah, mistakenly put down at Arizona animal shelter

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 6:06 PM on 16th November 2010

Target the dog lived through explosions in war-torn Afghanistan, saved the lives of U.S. soldiers and was featured on Oprah - but she couldn't survive a brief stay at an Arizona animal shelter.

An employee at the Pinal County facility was today on administrative leave after euthanizing the shepherd mix by mistake.

'When it comes to euthanizing an animal, there are some clear-cut procedures to follow,' said Ruth Stalter, director of the Animal Care And Control centre.
'Based on my preliminary investigation, our employee did not follow those procedures.'

Scroll down for video report

Target befriended American soldiers in Afghanistan, and helped scare a suicide bomber who showed up at a base wearing 25 lbs of explosives, barking at and biting the terrorist

Target was hailed a hero and her injuries were treated by medics as though she was a soldier. She lived, came to live in Arizona and appeared on Oprah with her owner Sgt. Young

Sgt. Terry Young, the owner of the dog, told The Arizona Republic, 'I just can't believe that something like this would happen to such a good dog.'

Target and two other dogs, Rufus and Sasha, were mutts who befriended soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, who began to feed them and treated the canines as pets on the military base.

One night in February a suicide bomber came to the base in the middle of the night, wearing 25 pounds of explosives and intent on killing Americans.

The three dogs frightened, barked at and bit the bomber, scaring him and waking the sleeping soldiers in the process. Deterred, the terrorist detonated himself outside instead of coming in.

The lives of 50 soldiers were potentially spared because of the dogs' actions.

Sasha was killed, but Target and Rufus lived. Medics treated the injured dogs like soldiers and the two were saved.

Only five soldiers were injured in the bombing and all recovered

Sgt Young said the dogs was treated like royalty from then on at the base at Dand Patan, near the Pakistan border.

With the help of aid groups, Sgt Young brought Target to the San Tan Valley area south-east of Phoenix in August, when he returned home from his tour of duty. Rufus went to live with another soldier in Georgia.

Target was featured on 'Oprah' in September in a show about amazing animals.

On Friday of last week the dog escaped from the family's backyard. Sgt Young then put out notices and contacted TV stations that did reports on the missing dog.

Sgt Young's 4-year-old son (seen here when Target arrived from Afghanistan) has been devastated by the pet's death and asked his dad to take out the poison and bring the beloved animal home

She wore a special pink camouflage collar

A neighbour found Target wandering later that day and put her in his backyard and called the shelter. The dog did not have a microchip or tag.

On Friday night, Sgt Young found Target's picture on a website used by Pinal County's dog catchers to help owners track lost pets. He thought the shelter was closed for the night and weekend.

He showed up at the shelter in Casa Grande to claim his dog on Monday, only to find out she was dead.

County officials say the employee mistakenly took the dog out of its pen Monday morning and euthanized it.

'My four-year-old son just can't understand what is going on with Target and keeps asking me to get the poison out of her and bring her home. They don't want her to go be with God yet,' a teary Sgt Young told the local CBS TV station.

The Arizona Republic said Sgt Young and his family will get the dog's cremated remains.

 See target 's Return home Video:

 http://www.azcentral.com/video/614743015001

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1330088/Afghanistan-dog-hero-mistake-Arizona-animal-shelter.html#ixzz15V7WcBuK