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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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A dog owner has opened up about the heartbreaking reason she went through with behavioral euthanasia after four years of trying to help her pup.
When Cassie Mahoney, 25, got Poppy from a backyard breeder in December 2020, it didn't take long for her to notice the negative behaviors. She told Newsweek that the Australian shepherd was a genetic mess, and she had never seen another dog who was "as neurotic as her."
At 3 months old, Poppy's aggression culminated when she bit Mahoney's friend's face. It was recorded as a level two dog bite, meaning her teeth came into contact with the skin but didn't break it, according to the Dunbar Dog Bite Scale.
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"It was like something flipped in her," Mahoney, of Vermont, said. "You could see her eyes glaze over, and she became this wild animal, trying to do as much damage as she could."
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By 6 months, Poppy had over a dozen level two bites, not including her attacks on other animals. Mahoney was urged to consider behavioral euthanasia, the decision to humanely end a dog's life because of severe issues that make them unsafe.
Mahoney didn't want to give up on Poppy and tried everything to help her. She tried training, a prong collar, and medication, and even moved house to the middle of nowhere. But none of it could change what was in Poppy's genes.
Mahoney said: "We started with positive reinforcement training, then we moved to balanced training with a professional behavioral modification trainer. They were ex-police dog trainers who had to wear bite gear for safety. At one point, she was on three different medications just to subdue her. She was essentially a zombie as it just kept her in a drugged-up state.
"We're not talking about typical nuisance behaviors like pulling on leash or barking at other dogs. Those are manageable and can be trained. What Poppy had was pure aggression in unpredictable moments," Mahoney said.
While her aggressive behaviors happened frequently, there weren't always triggers. It could be seeing another dog or a stranger, but, in some instances, Mahoney and Poppy were just sitting calmly together when she would flip.
Having Poppy was like "walking around with a loaded gun, just waiting for it to go off" at any moment. Not only did Poppy bite Mahoney, but she also attacked her roommate, their other dog, and Mahoney's 10-month-old son.
Mahoney said: "I remember her going on a rampage when she attacked me, my roommate, and my Samoyed. When I was able to get a leash on her, I had to tie her to the railing. She started fights with Kita, our other dog, and started going after the cats. She would literally try to do as much harm as possible, and I felt so lost.
"She attacked my son when my sister and I were out on the porch with Poppy while my son was on the floor. I felt confident that she was under control, which was my first mistake. In half-a-second, Poppy latched onto his face above his eye. There was no warning, and it took us slapping her multiple times to finally let go," she continued.
Fortunately, Mahoney's son wasn't injured barring some bruises and didn't require stitches. She is grateful that it hasn't left him with trauma, and he is still very happy around dogs.
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Making the Difficult Decision
The final straw came when Mahoney was told that the only way to keep Poppy alive was by keeping her in a crate, only allowed out to relieve herself, when she'd have to wear a muzzle.
That was no life for Poppy, who loved roaming around and being by Mahoney's side. Rehoming or taking her to a shelter weren't options, as she was no longer deemed safe around people.
Poppy would have no quality of life, so Mahoney made the devastating decision to go through with behavioral euthanasia on June 28, 2024.
"She loved fiercely and was always moving around through walks, training, and playing fetch," Mahoney told Newsweek. "I couldn't live with myself watching her rot in a crate all day. It wouldn't have been fair to keep her locked up just so I could say I didn't give up. That wasn't the life she wanted, and it would have destroyed her."
Mahoney arranged for her a travel vet to come to her home, which she had bought on a farm especially for Poppy. She took the dog out for one last run around the fields, treated her to chocolate, and let her say goodbye to the other animals first.
Then, Mahoney held Poppy in her arms as she was put to sleep, while telling her how much she would always love her.
"In the beginning, I didn't want to do behavioral euthanasia because she deserved a chance. I tried to find solutions, but the answer was always the same," she said.
Mahoney continued: "We spent four years dedicated to Poppy, and we couldn't fix her. I don't regret letting her go, because now she's at peace. She had a lot of demons, but she was not a bad girl. Losing her felt like losing part of myself, and everything I do now is in her honor."
Awareness for Behavioral Euthanasia
Mahoney hopes to raise awareness for behavioral euthanasia and the dangers of backyard breeding. She has also started working toward her dog training license.
She has shared the journey she went through with Poppy on TikTok (@cassiemahoney), posting videos of her as a happy pup, as well as the aggressive moments. Many of the clips went viral, and the post detailing the "last straw" has amassed over 1.4 million views and more than 22,300 likes.
Mahoney hopes to remove the stigma of behavioral euthanasia and help others feel less alone.
"I know what's it like to feel alone in this situation—some of my closest family members didn't even support me. So, knowing there are people out there who support and understand me has helped me grieve," Mahoney said.
While not everyone understands her decision, many social-media users thanked Mahoney for sharing Poppy's story.
Among the comments on the viral TikTok post, one user wrote: "I was hit with the same situation last year and it took a piece of my soul. These aren't easy decisions."
Another person posted: "If you have never lived it, you don't know the heartbreak, exhaustion, guilt, and mental struggle that comes with it."
One comment reads: "I just wish people understood how sometimes despite best efforts some dogs are prisoners in their own heads and they can never escape."
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