After doing everything she could to help her rescue Saint Bernard named Loki, one woman has an important message for anyone who judged his behavior without understanding what he went through.
As someone who works in an animal shelter, Sierra, 23, sees many dogs get surrendered and euthanized if they can’t find a home. That nearly happened with Loki who was brought in on a 10-day bite quarantine after he nipped a child.
Sierra couldn’t help but feel sorry for Loki, as she told Newsweek that he was “afraid and acted out of fear.” The owners explained that Loki had witnessed domestic violence, he was often hit, fought with other dogs, and spent most of his time locked in a basement “to avoid constant torment.”
Loki was rehomed four times as Sierra didn’t want to lose faith that the right owner was out there. Sadly though, Loki was brought back to the shelter repeatedly.
He was going to be euthanized if he didn’t find a permanent home, so Sierra stepped in to take the 3-year-old home in May 2023.
“I was rooting for him, but he was scheduled to be put down in a week,” she said. “I remember standing in his kennel and he stared me in the eyes and wagged his tail happily. I knew I had to try to help him. When I first took Loki home, he was great. He got along amazingly with my Great Dane, Sophie, a rescue who used to be very dog reactive. I spent years working with her and she was the perfect fit for Loki.”
Unfortunately, the longer Sierra had Loki, the more reactive and possessive he became. He was triggered by people, dogs, and cars. This wasn’t ideal as Sierra lived with her family, including small children.
She brought in professional help as a result, but Loki even tried to bite the trainer.
@houseofsuperpets / TikTok
Sierra believes it came from a place of fear because of what he’d experienced before. Loki had learned that biting, lunging, or snarling got people to back away, and he used that as a form of protection.
“Loki was making progress with leash training, but he was also going downhill in other ways. His anxiety was through the roof, I could take him somewhere with no people, dogs, or cars and he would constantly be on the lookout. He constantly lived in a state of fear and anger,” Sierra said.
She added: “Some days were amazing, he’d be well behaved, and the training was going well. Other days he’d be so aggressive and I felt defeated, stressed, and would cry.”
For a while, Sierra contemplated behavioral euthanasia, which is humanely ending a dog’s life because of severe behavioral issues. She went back-and-forth for months, even speaking to the trainer and a vet about it.
She knew Loki was a liability, but she felt such a bond with him, nonetheless.
What Is Behavioral Euthanasia?
The American Kennel Club (AKC) highlights that candidates for behavioral euthanasia are considered dangerous because they aren’t trustworthy, and their aggression triggers may not be predictable.
If a dog’s behavior is predictable, it can be managed by keeping them away from specific things. However, if you can’t predict the triggers, you can’t prevent the aggressive outbursts. A dog that attacks out of the blue is “the most dangerous of all,” according to the AKC.
A dog’s bite history can also play an important role in deciding whether to go through with behavioral euthanasia. If they’ve got a serious bite history, they’re more likely to be euthanized.
Of course, owners might want to believe that they can help their dog, regardless of external forces. But it’s important to consider their quality of life too. If they’re spending hours in a crate, or unable to go on walks because of potential triggers, are they getting the life they deserve? In these instances, the AKC suggests that euthanasia could be the kindest option if they’re no longer able to even be a dog.
This was what ran through Sierra’s mind as she contemplated what else she could do to help Loki.
Sadly, her other rescue dog, Sophie, passed away in April 2024, and Loki became “more insecure” afterwards.
“He was a lot more anxious when it was just him and I, especially when we’d go out on adventures. I noticed he was more on edge,” Sierra told Newsweek.
@houseofsuperpets / TikTok
The decision was made after seeing Loki become so aggressive when Sierra’s siblings ran into the house and, through his desperation to get to them, he pulled so hard on the leash that he passed out. Sierra thinks that, if he had managed to get to the children, he would have mauled them.
Following that, Loki bit her mom’s arm, despite being familiar and comfortable around her.
Sierra said: “In that moment, I knew I had to let him go. It wasn’t fair for him to be in a constant state of anger and fear. He hated the world but loved me and Sophie. His issues were not his fault but the failure of other people. It was an extremely difficult decision. I’d often lay with Loki and cry at the thought of it, and it felt like he knew.”
Loki was euthanized two weeks after Sophie passed away.
The Misconceptions of Euthanasia
Almost a year later, Sierra shares his story on TikTok (@houseofsuperpets) to raise awareness and urge people not to misjudge Loki as a “mean scary Saint Bernard.” The video detailing the journey she went through with Loki has amassed over 462,000 views and 28,800 likes on TikTok so far.
Throughout her year with Loki, she felt so much judgement and negativity. But she hopes she can help others feel less alone and know it’s not a negative reflection of them.
“A lot of people don’t understand behavioral euthanasia, but there are so many people out there going through the same thing,” Sierra told Newsweek. “I had some comments saying I murdered Loki and comparing euthanizing an aggressive dog to humans who murder people, but I think it’s a common misconception.”
She added: “It hurt seeing those comments because I did feel like I murdered him at first. I felt instant regret and wished I hadn’t done it, but I had to. I sometimes still regret it and wish he was here, but it was the right thing. I don’t regret having Loki. I’m happy I gave him another year of love and adventures.”
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