The Maine state veterinarian Don Hoenig ordered police to shoot a dog suspected of being infected with rabies. However, the post mortem test shows the dog wasn’t rabid. Rumors about the incident say police used up to 16 bullets to kill the dog who they were told could not be shot in the head because the brain needed to be preserved and tested for Rabies. However, the local police chief Philip Weymouth says he only gave the officer who did the shooting a total of six rounds.
State veterinarian Don Hoenig said the unvaccinated dog had been in a fight with a skunk this summer and then started acting aggressive toward its owners — lightly biting one owner and snarling at another. At times, the dog was also drinking lots of water and acting lethargic. There were concerns that the dog had contracted Rabies as 5 skunks tested positive for Rabies this summer in Maine. However even after the dog started acting normal again, Hoenig still thought the dog should be put down because rabies is an unpredictable disease. The dog was put down by gunshot to avoid spreading the disease. Everyone involved admits it didn’t go well.
Gunshot? Isn’t that a little bit extreme? The vet should have done it.
There was a reason they couldn’t euthanize in a normal manner?
The only thing I could find was they didn’t want the disease to spread so the veterinarian felt this was the best option.
I don’t know if the toxins in the usual manner would have done something to prevent the finding of Rabies or not in a Necropsy. If that is not the case I have no idea why shooting the dog would have been better then regular Euthanization. I was hoping a veterinarian would see this post today and shed some light on this for us.
Meet Don Hoenig, the veterinarian with a Nazi-like last name.