Foster carer fights to keep dog she says rescue group wants to euthanise

A family who fear their foster dog may be put down if he’s returned to a rescue group is fighting to keep him, with an online petition on the issue attracting more than 19,000 signatures.

AN online tug of war has erupted between a dog rescue group and a family who say they fear their foster dog will be euthanised if he’s returned.

A change.org petition titled ‘Help Bruno the great dane live happily ever after’ states Adoptadane Rescue Queensland Inc allegedly wants to put the 15-month-old animal to sleep due to alleged behavioural and health issues.

The rescue group denies this.

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But the dog’s foster carers claim Bruno is an innocent victim and they were denied the chance to adopt him after allegedly being told he would be put to sleep.

The change.org petition – which has more than 19,000 signatures out of a goal of 25,000 – also states Bruno had never bitten or harmed anyone other than one of his foster carers, who was wearing full motorcycle protective gear, including a helmet, at the time.

One of the foster carers, Anna, 42, said Bruno did have some fear issues.

“As the behaviourist stated, it was no surprise this made him uncomfortable as he couldn’t have recognised it was Melissa under all that equipment,” the foster carers wrote on the petition.

“Melissa was not fazed and was unscathed. Bruno got a fright – simple as that! (sic).”

Bruno’s foster carers want to adopt him, fearing he will be euthanised. Picture: Saving Bruno/Facebook

Anna, who has started a Saving Bruno Facebook page and asked for her surname not to be used, said her family had fostered Bruno since December 6.

She said they had previously raised concerns about Bruno’s health with the rescue group, including his hips.

His hips were not assessed for another month and other requested medical tests were not performed, she said.

Anna said Bruno had improved after she and Melissa paid for anti-inflammatories and anxiety medication recommended by a vet behaviourist, as well as an assessment from a dog trainer and behaviourist.

Anna told The Courier-Mail Adoptadane told her Bruno was “unrehomeable.”

“He’s full-on but he’s the most beautiful dog,” she said.

Anna said she and Melissa have previously adopted and fostered dogs through Adoptadane, but they did not sign any paperwork when Bruno came into their foster care.

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They also changed Bruno’s microchip into their name, after they were allegedly told he was to be euthanised.

“We put in an online application to have his chip transferred and someone accepted the chip transfer, but I’m not sure who did it.”

An Adoptadane Queensland spokeswoman said there were no plans to euthanise Bruno, but to instead put him through training. She said changing his microchip was “illegal.”

The spokeswoman said there were claims Bruno had attacked, bitten and lunged at people.

“The rescue volunteers commented that if he was sent to training, and he could not be trained out of those aggressions, than he might have to be euthanised,” the spokeswoman said.

“However, the group has now noticed a pattern … that makes them believe those statements about Bruno being aggressive were untrue.”

Bruno with his foster sister Zelda. Picture: Saving Bruno/Facebook

The spokeswoman said Adoptadane had a legal responsibility to make sure any dog that was adopted through them was safe.

“Because Adoptadane had received messages from the foster carer stating the dog was attacking other dogs and people, then Adoptadane has no choice but to require the dog to go through a training program prior to being adopted. This is non-negotiable.”

Documents sighted by The Courier-Mail show that the foster family was offered a conditional contract to adopt Bruno for free in February, including that he had been booked in to board with a trainer.

“It was offered … that she could adopt the dog at no cost, but she had to commit to the dog undergoing six months of regular training,” the spokeswoman said.

“If she failed to attend those training sessions or if the dog did not pass its behaviour assessment, then the dog would immediately be returned to Adoptadane.”

One document also stated the foster family were welcome to suggest three trainers.

“But she refused that clause that she would not become the owner of the dog until after she attended the training,” the spokeswoman said.

Anna told The Courier-Mail she already had a preferred dog trainer, that Bruno was thriving and it would be more detrimental to remove him from their home.