Boulder Shelter Kills Dog While Owners On Vacation

A Labrador Retriever is dead, a victim of the Boulder Valley Humane Society.

The dog named Floyd was being cared for by a friend while his family was on vacation. Floyd was wearing an identification collar with at least one phone number (the shelter called a home number and cell).

Humane Society officials called the numbers several times but didn't get a response. It is unclear if the family friend tried finding the dog, I am curious about this aspect of the story.

After five days, even though Floyd had a collar with TWO phone numbers on it, Humane Society officials took "custody" of Floyd, deemed him too aggressive and killed him.

Does the shelter feel bad? Maybe, but instead of issuing a heartfelt apology filled with horror at killing a family's pet, they used this opportunity as a PSA:

It says it should serve as a reminder to make sure your pets have additional contact information with them, especially if they're staying with a family friend.

Like what? Your GPS coordinates? I'm sure Floyd is absolutely overjoyed that his death, the snuffing out of his life, could serve as a reminder. You can't be serious, Boulder Valley. Floyd isn't a reminder. He is a dog who had a loving family. A family who was responsible enough to collar their dog and have not one, but two, phone numbers etched on his id tag. A family who was nice enough to ensure Floyd stayed with a friend instead of a kennel.

Perhaps it is unfair of me, but I have higher expectations of a shelter that has a 90% adoption rate and a team of behavioral experts to deal with problem dogs. They are obviously doing a shitload right and, for that, I am 100% grateful. I am certain it was difficult dealing with Floyd. He was clearly ill-prepared for kennel or shelter life and reacted appropriately for him, inappropriately for our human society. But he had tags. He clearly had owners/guardians. He was well-fed and well-groomed. He had a collar, for cripes sake. This wasn't a dog left abandoned in obscurity.

Floyd isn't a reminder, except perhaps to the shelter that when a dog comes in with an id tag, they damn well better be sure the dog's family isn't on vacation. He was a family companion. And I am so sorry he is dead.