OK - I was having a good day until I read this story.....sad. This is just tough news to take as this Dog was as much a Veteran as any human.I value the contributions of our 4 legged Veterans and this Dog saved soldiers lives. A Shelter employee made a mistake and " Target" paid for it with his life.
This news just sux. No other way of putting it.
Hero dog Target mistakenly killed
(UKPA) – 7 hours ago
A dog named Target that lived through explosions in war-torn Afghanistan could not survive a brief stay at an Arizona animal shelter.
An unidentified employee at the Pinal County facility was placed on administrative leave after putting the female Alsatian to sleep by mistake, county Animal Care and Control officials said.
"When it comes to euthanising an animal, there are some clear-cut procedures to follow," Ruth Stalter, the county animal control director, said in a statement. "Based on my preliminary investigation, our employee did not follow those procedures."
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."
Even more impressive, the fearless Target did it with zero training and without even enlisting. They were real civilian warriors, of the canine persuasion.
"When you go through such an intense experience with somebody, albeit a dog, you just grow a very strong bond," said U.S. National Guard Sergeant Terry Young, Target's owner. The two had such an endearing bond, it got the pair an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey show.
"It was February 11, 2010. It was 9 o'clock at night, and an individual with a suicide vest made his way up to the compound," Young explained to Oprah.
That's when Target attacked the bomber, along with Sasha and Rufus, putting their lives on the line, and saving 50 American soldiers from possible death. Arizona's Friends of Animal Control & Care recently honored Target.
"The suicide bomber ended up detonating his bomb as he entered the barracks but because of the dogs heroics only 5 soldiers were medi-vacced," a member of Arizona's Friends of Animal Control & Care recalled.
It was an act that left Target's owner speechless and close to tears.
"It...(pauses, can't continue)....oh my God, sorry!" Sgt. Young explained while burying his head in his hand.
Medics treated the dogs like soldiers. Sasha did not make it. Rufus went to Georgia. And, Target came home to Arizona with best friend, Sergeant Young.
Sgt Young brought Target to the San Tan Valley area southeast of Phoenix in August, when he returned home from his tour of duty.
The dog escaped from the family's back garden on Friday. Sgt Young put out online notices and contacted TV stations that carried reports on the missing hero dog.
A neighbour found Target wandering later on Friday, put her in his back garden and called animal rescue services. 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 arrived at the shelter in Casa Grande to claim his dog on Monday, only to find out she was dead.
County officials said the employee mistakenly took the dog out of its pen on Monday morning and put it to sleep.
Target was more than a furry stray that Sgt. Terry Young found in Afghanistan, to him she was family. Monday he found out Target had been mistakenly euthanized.
"When it comes to euthanizing an animal, there are some clear-cut procedures to follow," Ruth Stalter, the County Animal Control Director, said in a statement. "Based on my preliminary investigation, our employee did not follow those procedures."
Back in February, Target, a Sheppard mix quite possible saved Sgt. Young's life. He says Target frightened a suicide bomber inside a military base in Afghanistan and potentially saved dozens of soldiers' lives. Six months later she was flown to Arizona to start a new live with Sgt. Young and his family.
"If someone kills one of your children, does an apology make it better," said Young, "that dog and I went through so much over there; she was part of our family."
The unidentified employee at the Pinal County facility was placed on administrative leave after euthanizing the dog by mistake, County Animal Care and Control officials said
Copyright © 2010 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
"When it comes to euthanising an animal, there are some clear-cut procedures to follow," Ruth Stalter, the county animal control director, said in a statement. "Based on my preliminary investigation, our employee did not follow those procedures."
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."
Even more impressive, the fearless Target did it with zero training and without even enlisting. They were real civilian warriors, of the canine persuasion.
"When you go through such an intense experience with somebody, albeit a dog, you just grow a very strong bond," said U.S. National Guard Sergeant Terry Young, Target's owner. The two had such an endearing bond, it got the pair an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey show.
"It was February 11, 2010. It was 9 o'clock at night, and an individual with a suicide vest made his way up to the compound," Young explained to Oprah.
That's when Target attacked the bomber, along with Sasha and Rufus, putting their lives on the line, and saving 50 American soldiers from possible death. Arizona's Friends of Animal Control & Care recently honored Target.
"The suicide bomber ended up detonating his bomb as he entered the barracks but because of the dogs heroics only 5 soldiers were medi-vacced," a member of Arizona's Friends of Animal Control & Care recalled.
It was an act that left Target's owner speechless and close to tears.
"It...(pauses, can't continue)....oh my God, sorry!" Sgt. Young explained while burying his head in his hand.
Medics treated the dogs like soldiers. Sasha did not make it. Rufus went to Georgia. And, Target came home to Arizona with best friend, Sergeant Young.
Sgt Young brought Target to the San Tan Valley area southeast of Phoenix in August, when he returned home from his tour of duty.
The dog escaped from the family's back garden on Friday. Sgt Young put out online notices and contacted TV stations that carried reports on the missing hero dog.
A neighbour found Target wandering later on Friday, put her in his back garden and called animal rescue services. 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 arrived at the shelter in Casa Grande to claim his dog on Monday, only to find out she was dead.
County officials said the employee mistakenly took the dog out of its pen on Monday morning and put it to sleep.
Target was more than a furry stray that Sgt. Terry Young found in Afghanistan, to him she was family. Monday he found out Target had been mistakenly euthanized.
"When it comes to euthanizing an animal, there are some clear-cut procedures to follow," Ruth Stalter, the County Animal Control Director, said in a statement. "Based on my preliminary investigation, our employee did not follow those procedures."
Back in February, Target, a Sheppard mix quite possible saved Sgt. Young's life. He says Target frightened a suicide bomber inside a military base in Afghanistan and potentially saved dozens of soldiers' lives. Six months later she was flown to Arizona to start a new live with Sgt. Young and his family.
"If someone kills one of your children, does an apology make it better," said Young, "that dog and I went through so much over there; she was part of our family."
The unidentified employee at the Pinal County facility was placed on administrative leave after euthanizing the dog by mistake, County Animal Care and Control officials said
Copyright © 2010 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
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