For quite some time now, I have been trying to avoid the daily news as much as possible. Not because I can't handle it anymore, but because there is so much negativity that passes by every day that it depresses me. It certainly doesn't make for positive thoughts and nobody wants to have a constant stream of negativity poured over them. Right? But sometimes you suddenly hear something that touches you. And this week it was the tragic story of a 7-year-old child who died in Belgium after an attack by five Alaskan Malamutes. The mother of the child, a breeder of these dogs, was injured herself when she tried to pull the animals away. In the end, the five dogs had to be euthanized.
Let me make one thing very clear here: There is nothing worse than losing a child. The grief of the mother is unimaginable and nobody should ever have to go through such hell. But honestly? My heart also breaks for those dogs, who ultimately became victims of human failure.
Alaskan Malamutes are not your average house dog. These beautiful dogs have a long history as working dogs. They were bred to pull sleds, do heavy work, and, most importantly, help with the hunt. That hunting instinct is deeply ingrained in their genes. It makes them powerful, intelligent, and independent, but also very specific in their behavior. They need a strong hierarchy, a clear leader they respect, and an environment that takes their instincts into account. And food? That is sacred to them. To a Malamute, a 7-year-old child coming near their food is the same as a puppy who doesn’t know his place in the pack. It has nothing to do with malice – it is pure primal behavior.
As a breeder, you should know this. It is your responsibility to know it. You should guide your dogs in such a way that situations like this simply cannot arise. This was not an ‘out of the blue’ attack. It was a predictable tragedy that could have been prevented if there had been more knowledge and precautions.
What hurts me even more is that these five dogs were euthanized immediately. As if they were monsters. But let’s be honest: were they guilty? A dog never acts intending to kill. Their behavior is instinctive. They act from their nature, not from a malicious consciousness.
Compare that to how we treat people who deliberately kill. They get a trial, and a prison sentence, and after their sentence, they always get a chance to return to society. But a dog? They don’t get a trial. No second chance. Euthanasia, as we humans call it, is immediately the only solution. This feels unfair and absurd. We, humans, call it euthanasia, but it’s not even euthanasia, we just kill those dogs. Euthanasia is the deliberate ending of someone's life to relieve unbearable suffering and is subject to strict requirements. Consent is required and must be explicitly requested by the person to be euthanized. There must be unbearable and hopeless suffering. And the goal must be compassion and relief of suffering. In the case of dogs, they can of course never give consent themselves, nor can they ask for it. The owner of the dogs has to do this. This is normal of course, and in the case that a dog is sick, in unbearable pain, and suffering hopelessly, then I can fully support this. But not in this case! We are talking about healthy dogs that showed natural behavior for them. In the case of these dogs, there was no hopeless and unbearable suffering, and the goal of this 'euthanasia' was certainly not compassion and relief of hopeless suffering. In this case, it was simply murdering five dogs, out of compassion for the mother. Understandable from her point of view probably, but incomprehensible that this is accepted. These dogs, just like people, deserved a second chance.
Imagine if these dogs had been given a second chance by people who actually would understand how to deal with their instincts. People who respected their hunting behavior and hierarchy, and offered them an environment in which they could live safely. Who knows, they could have lived a wonderful, happy life. But that chance was taken away from them. And that feels like we have all failed here, which is why five beautiful, healthy dogs have now had to give up the ghost.
This whole story emphasizes how important it is to have the right knowledge about the breed you bring into your home. Whether you are a breeder or an enthusiast, you have a responsibility towards the animals and the people around you. Understand the character of the animal, be aware of the risks, and never make irresponsible decisions that endanger others.
The worst thing of all is that this tragedy could have been prevented. If responsibility had been taken, the child would still be alive. And these five beautiful dogs would still be alive.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time I have heard something like this, and I fear it will not be the last. But every time I hear such a hard and bitter story, I hope that something like this never happens again. For the children. For the dogs. For everyone.
