SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — The Humane Society of Sheboygan County has been dealing with death threats after it euthanized one of its longest-resident dogs.
His name was Pork Chop.
"We are dealing with little souls in crisis,” said executive director David Diaz.
Pork Chop was surrendered to the humane society and sheltered there for eight months.
"In a shelter environment, they decline mentally. Some dogs you only have a few days before they start to show mental changes,” noted Veterinarian Annie Saunders.
“My interactions with pork chop were never anything but positive."
Saunders had a special bond with him but unfortunately, he didn't do well cooped up and around other dogs. It was “to the point where he was hurting himself—like he would run into the kennel with his face."
"We'd come into the kennel full of blood," she said.
The shelter team said they had exhausted all options from training and anxiety medication to fosters and adopters.
They then decided to euthanize Pork Chop.
"I'm giving him belly rubs on the front and telling him what a good boy he is…” Saunders said while wiping tears from her eyes.
The word got around on social media, sparking outraged comments.
Some people said it made them “sick,” that “it's not fair.”
Others went even further.
"To receive death threats and threats for the physical well-being of staff here—from people who are just reading something that is inflammatory on social media—to me is just unacceptable,” Diaz remarked.
“We won’t stand for that.”
The big question most had was why did this happen at a no-kill shelter?
"No-kill does not mean no euthanasia,” Saunders explained. “No-kill means we're not going to euthanize for space or treatable conditions."
A shelter with this designation has to save at least 90 percent of the animals it receives. Sheboygan County is at 98 percent.
TMJ4 asked Diaz what he would say to the people who had submitted applications to foster or adopt Pork Chop.
“You weren’t the right person, unfortunately,” adding that dogs like Pork Chop have a very “narrow corridor” for leaving the shelter.
"We are wholeheartedly sure that we are making the right decision in those cases."
On Pork Chop's last day, he was treated like a king.
He had playtime on the beach and even got to eat cheeseburgers and a whole birthday cake.
The team said this is a harsh reminder of the reality of shelter life.
They encourage people to get educated—but more than anything—to apply to foster and adopt these animals.
For more information, go to adoptsheboygancounty.org/adopt-foster.
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