Dog Rescued After Human Tried to Euthanize Him for “Barking at People”

Marcus is a two-year-old terrier-Lab mix who lived in his previous home for only five weeks before his previous person tried to have him euthanized for “barking at other dogs and people” according to Lucie Holmes. Lucie runs Lucie’s Animal Rescue in northern England. The rescue runs on donations and was full when Marcus’s previous person called to surrender him. Lucie let them know she was unable to accept Marcus at the time and told the caller she would contact them when space opened up and she could accept him. 

Tragically, only a few short hours later, Lucie received a call from a local veterinarian. Instead of waiting or finding another rescue that could accept him, Marcus’s owner had taken him to be euthanized. This person was willing to end Marcus’s life for the sole reason that he barked at other dogs and people! Dogs use barking as a form of communication. They may bark to show that they are excited, frightened, or lonely. Marcus was simply trying to convey his emotions in the only way he knew how. Excessive barking can be fixed through proper and gentle training in most cases. 

Luckily, the veterinarian refused to euthanize Marcus. Instead, they called Lucie and let her know what had happened. Despite being at capacity with other animals, she was able to find a way to accept Marcus and potentially save his life. Although the pup was scared and nervous when he first arrived at the rescue, he warmed up quickly. Soon, he was playing with the other rescue dogs. Incredibly, after a week at the rescue, he had yet to display the barking behavior that led to his surrender. 

While Marcus is still under an assessment period at the rescue, Lucie has already been contacted by several people hoping to adopt him. Hopefully, Marcus will quickly find his forever home. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some animals wait months, or even years, to find new homes. Senior animals and negatively stereotyped breeds are even more likely to struggle to find new homes. Many shelters are facing overcrowding issues that place extra stress on their residents. A rising percentage of owner surrenders are due to increased housing costs, and difficulty finding affordable, pet-friendly rental units according to a study by pet care company Rover. 

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