WASHINGTON — The Humane Rescue Alliance in D.C. made a difficult decision Sunday morning to euthanize Marley, a dog that has experienced behavioral issues over the last three years, including a recent attack on another dog.
On Feb. 1, Marley was placed in an Arlington, Virginia foster home. On Feb. 16, while on a walk, a small Yorkshire terrier, leashed and harnessed, got away from her owner and approached Marley. Seventy-pound Marley bit the Yorkshire terrier’s neck without warning, held and shook her without releasing her. In the 30-45-second-long incident, Marley did severe damage to the Yorkshire terrier.
The terrier was taken to an animal hospital and treated for injuries that required stitches, a drain and hospitalization. The dog will need ongoing veterinary care to treat her wounds. The foster owner was also bit 12 times while trying to separate the dogs.
This was not the first time something like this happened with Marley. She was first brought into the care of the rescue in April 2020 after had attacked and killed a cat. Marley was running loose at the time of attack, and no owner ever came forward to claim her.
After the cat incident, Marley worked with the HRA's expert training and behavior team to address her aggression towards other animals.
HRA emphasized that the decision to euthanize was made based on three years worth of observing Marley's behavior, and that they had tried for years to find her the right home. Marley had been formerly placed with two adoptive families in 2020 and 2021 but she was returned by both families. She was surrendered to HRA again in November 2022.
"Marley’s behavior in the most recent incident was atypical of a normal fear-based response," HRA said in a statement. "In light of these facts, our large team of behavior experts and trainers determined that Marley was, and would remain, an ongoing threat to the safety of people, family pets and other animals."
Ten days after the bite happened, HRA made the decision to euthanize Marley. The rescue said they have live outcomes for nearly 95% of the animals who enter their care.
"We did not take the decision to euthanize Marley lightly, but it is ultimately our responsibility to keep the animals and people of our community safe," HRA said. "Marley’s passing was peaceful, and she was cared for by our staff members until the end."
Some members of the community planned a #SaveMarley rally on Sunday, before the scheduled euthanasia, which according to a Change.org petition was originally supposed to happen Monday.
"We hope that those who have stepped up to voice support for Marley will also help advocate for the hundreds of other animals currently at the Humane Rescue Alliance who are on the pathway to their next home," the rescue organization said in their statement about the euthanization. "Many of the people who have contacted us had just a portion of the facts, and so we wanted to provide the fuller context so everyone has the broader picture."