Rocco is a bullmastiff that is currently being held by Somerville Animal Control and is scheduled to be euthanized on Dec 9th for biting a person. Rocco got out of the house on October 31st and had a bad reaction to a dog that was being walked down the street. A fight ensued and as the other dogs owner tried to break the fight up, he was bit on the hands by Rocco. The bite did require stitches. This is the first time Rocco has shown this behavior and he is about 6 years old. Since the incident, Rocco’s owner has done what she can to ensure this will never happen again. She has agreed to muzzle Rocco when out in public, have him in a crate when not under constant supervision and has hired a trainer to work on Rocco’s behavior.  We are seeking justice for Rocco and need your help!

Should a dog be euthanized because he had a bad reaction to a dog or person? Euthanasia is the easy way to handle an aggression problem but it is never the right way. Dogs don’t fail people, people fail dogs! There is always a reason why a dog will behave a certain way and it is our responsibility to understand and fix those problems. We took on that responsibility when we as a society decided to keep dogs as pets and breed them to do specific jobs or have certain traits. We are an educated society that should be looking for solutions and not just killing.

By signing this petition you are asking the Somerville Massachusetts Police and Animal Control, as well as the Somerville District Court in Massachusetts to free Rocco and overturn his scheduled euthanasia on December 9th.