WHEN REHOMING TURNS TO KILLING

Misunderstood Dane/Mastiff (Daniff) on Death Row at Ark Valley Humane Society 

Buena Vista, CO—Echo didn’t intend to be in the spotlight, and he certainly didn’t know he would be on death row. Alone. With no other dogs around him, in the last stall at the end of a cold, cement animal shelter. For over three weeks, he lived in a kennel that wasn’t wide enough for him to lay out. On a dog bed that was half his size. Until recently, the 145-pound Dane/Mastiff (Daniff) was living a laid back dog life in Colorado with his owners, Sophia and Shawn Vrooman, when his world turned upside down.  

With the best of intentions for their big, goofy dog, the Vroomans, a young couple who started a new business that required them to work long hours away from home, approached Ark Valley Humane Society (AVHS) in Buena Vista, Colorado seeking their professional opinion about Echo and their quandary about him being lonely when they were at work for most of the day.  Were they doing Echo an injustice being away from him for so long? Was he lonely? Would he be happier with people who could spend more time and interact with him throughout the day than they could provide? The Great Dane and Mastiff breeds are very social animals with personalities known as ‘Gentle Giants’. 

They turned to Ark Valley Humane Society (AVHS) for answers. And what the shelter told them convinced them to make the worse decision.

On February 2, 2023, Sophia and Shawn arrived at Ark-Valley Humane Society in Buena Vista to discuss these options.  They had previously spoken with AVHS’s Outreach Manager, Emy Luebbering, inquiring about AVHS’s facility, adoption process, and canine training programs.  During their conversation with Luebbering, they revealed that Echo had displayed behavior that they wished they had more time to modify and inquired about canine behavioral training options.  Luebbering assured Echo’s parents that AVHS offered behavioral training programs for dogs in their care and that she would introduce them to Medical and Transfer Coordinator, Nikki (Nicole) Ritter, who was available to talk about them.

Luebbering gave the Vroomans a tour of the facility and told them about AVHS’s adoption program, which sounded promising (5-6 walks per day!).  Next, the Vroomans were introduced to Nikki Ritter, who discussed training programs that were available to dogs placed in AVHS’s care, as well as the shelter’s adoption placement process.  As part of their discussion, Sophia and Shawn emphatically stated that euthanization was absolutely not an option for them in the event that a good adoption of Echo did not materialize.  Ritter said she understood and assured Sophia and Shawn that everyone at AVHS had Echo’s best interest at heart.  She promised to the Vroomans that Echo would be returned to them if their shelter was unable to place him.

Instead of offering the Vroomans free training vouchers that AVHS made available to the community on a case-by-case basis, Luebbering and Ritter convinced the Vroomans to surrender Echo to them with the promises that their dog would be easily rehomed. The staff didn’t disclose they had had only one Great Dane in the past year through their shelter but the Vroomans were given the ‘sales pitch’ to sign the intake contract.

One of the benefits, they had been told, of working with a humane society shelter is their ability to properly vet prospective new owners so that pets don’t fall into the wrong hands where they could be abused or worse, killed.  With this in mind, and with AVHS’s assurance that Echo would be returned to them if AVHS could not find a suitable home for him, the Vroomans decided that it was in Echo’s best interest to collaborate with AVHS with the sole purpose of finding a new home for him.

As a next step, Echo was brought into the AVHS facility, giving their staff the opportunity to meet him. This is when the professionals at AVHS would evaluate Echo on his social skills. The Vroomans and Echo were ushered into a room, where Ritter interacted with Echo—she petted him and gave him treats, played with him and they laughed together.  Echo was given a ball and some toys to play with.  He was happy. He seemed to trust Ritter.  Shawn and Sophia signed the contract, said their good-byes and went home, believing that Echo was in good hands.

The following day, Friday, February 3, 2023, Sophia texted AVHS to inquire how Echo was doing. It was then that she and Shawn were surprised to learn that an incident had occurred with Echo and a staff member the day before when they had said their good-byes.  The reports keep changing and AVHS has varied their story as to what actually happened: their first claim was Echo had been surprised by a staff trainer that had tried to take off his harness. Echo gave a growl of fear and tried to back away. AVHS admits that their trainer ignored him and continued to which Echo gave a light warning nip that scratched the skin, drawing slight blood. AVHS would initially release a public statement admitting that their trainer handling Echo didn’t recognize the signs of a large dog in distress as they continued trying to put a slip leash on him. Being that Echo had never worn a choke-leash, it’s likely inexperience why the staff trainer didn’t just clip a regular leash to his harness or use a regular collar. To this very day, the Vroomans have never received an official account from AVHS as to what exactly transpired. Well, they have asked and AVHS have ignored providing a factual account. Another question, why didn’t the staff call them to let them know that Echo was having a difficult time adjusting to his new shelter surroundings, they wondered. This would have been the time to call the Vroomans back to retrieve Echo as logic dictates.

On Monday, February 6, 2023, Johny Sandoval, AVHS’s Operations Manager contacted the Vroomans, and through a combination of text messages and phone calls, explained that Echo was not adjusting well to the shelter environment and that AVHS decided that Echo was not a good candidate for adoption.  As such, he said they could take ownership of Echo and bring him back home. Of course, Sophia and Shawn immediately agreed, promising they would make all the necessary adjustments in their lives to make more time for Echo and to start behavioral training classes with him right away. Sandoval stated that he had spoken with his supervisor, who had approved returning ownership of Echo back to the Vroomans and that they could pick Echo up after he was released from the mandatory 10-day bite quarantine. The same day, Sandoval texted recommendations to Sophia for dog behavior training suggesting –Behavior Vets and Pet Behavior Support-Ark-Valley Humane Society— and explained that Sophia could apply for training vouchers offered by AVHS to dog owners.  Since AVHS had returned ownership back to the Vroomans by text messages and phone calls, Sophia applied for them right away and received approval from Luebbering that afternoon.

Then the world crashed. In a cruel twist of fate, the excitement of Sophia and Shawn reuniting with Echo was shattered. Cue the villain. Or should I say, cue the villains.

The next day, Amber Van Leuken, Executive Director of Ark Valley Humane Society, called to inform them that they couldn’t have Echo back and that he would be killed the following week. Van Leuken told them she’d scheduled killing Echo on February 14. Cue the villain, right? Who breaks a verbal and written agreement by her own staff and manager…to give someone their dog back and actually tells the owners coldly that she’s going to have Echo killed on Valentine’s Day??

Unbeknownst to anyone, including the AVHS staff that had interacted with Sophia and Shawn on AVHS’s behalf, Van Leuken and purportedly other “qualified authorities” whose names Van Leuken refused to disclose, had decided to kill Echo.  Sophia pleaded with Van Leuken to return Echo to them, to which Van Leuken responded, “I’m not going to change my mind.” Van Leuken has been working with animals since 2002 including travelling to Nepal to rescue stray dogs and give them homes but now Van Leuken had become someone much, much more darker two decades later. She stated that she had “spoken with the authorities” at the shelter, and that was that. She hung up on them. The silence crushed the Vroomans as they crumbled to the ground, in tears.

When Sophia called back and pushed Van Leuken for answers—she specifically wanted to know exactly who the authorities at Ark Valley Humane Society were that together with Van Leuken–decided to kill Echo, Van Leuken refused to provide this information.  After Van Leuken hung up, Sophia and Shawn immediately called Ark-Valley Humane Society, hoping to speak with someone to gain further clarification.  Despite their repeated attempts, no one at AVHS answered their calls. It certainly appears as an act of cowardice by the shelter staff to refuse to answer the phone.

The Vroomans jumped in their vehicle and rushed from their home in Salida to the shelter in Buena Vista, where they pleaded with Van Leuken and Sandoval to spare Echo’s life.  Van Leuken stood firm in her decision, stating, “We are not going to change our minds.” She insisted that they leave the building and used her influence and called the Buena Vista Chief of Police directly. Unbelievably, the chief took time off from his busy day and personally drove to the shelter and ordered the Vroomans that they leave the premises. There were no threats from the Vroomans. Why did the chief of police show up when a regular police officer would have been as effective and an intelligent, prudent use of police resources?

To save their dog’s life, the Vroomans scrambled to hire an attorney, who helped them secure a stay of killing Echo on February 13^th, the day before Van Leuken cruelly scheduled Echo to die on Valentine’s Day.

Echo’s case goes before the court on February 23, 2023, when his fate will be decided.   

Highly qualified and experienced big breed canine behaviorists in Colorado, throughout the US and beyond, have stated that Echo’s behavior could quickly and easily be modified with proper training.  Some have offered to work with the shelter’s staff pro bono to teach them how to work effectively with larger breeds, and specifically with Echo, while in AVHS’s care.  A leading big breed canine behaviorist and owner of ArfArfBarkBark Rescue Foundation in Vancouver, BC, Canada, also offered to work with Echo, in addition to offering to foster and adopt Echo. 

“Shelters are very stressful, confusing, challenging, and scary, especially for these highly sensitive dogs,” said canine behaviorist James Tsai, owner of ArfArfBarkBark Rescue Foundation.  “It’s a big mistake to judge dogs on their shelter behaviors  I have reached out to Van Leuken and her team at Ark Valley Humane Society and repeatedly offered to provide Echo a permanent home in Canada.  I also offered to provide my services pro bono to her and her staff while Echo is in their care. It is senseless to kill this dog when he already has an extremely experienced home waiting for him.”

 Offers that have been presented to Ark Valley Humane Society include the following:

1. Provide April Kintgen, Echo’s breeder, access to arrange a behaviorist to assess Echo on-site. Alternatively, AVHS permits Echo to be temporarily removed from the shelter’s premises for the independent assessment.

2. Return Echo to April Kintgen as per her contract with the Vroomans.

3. Release Echo to a local trainer for board-and-train.

4. Release Echo to an out of region board-and-train.

5. Release Echo directly to April Kintgen, who resides in Wyoming. This removes Echo physically out of the state of Colorado.

6. Release Echo via adoption to a local qualified family.

7. Release Echo via adoption to a qualified family with contractual obligation for training.

8. Release Echo to Save Rocky the Great Dane Rescue (owned by Susan Floyd, Save Rocky the Great Dane Rescue is the largest Great Dane Rescue in the US, based in Texas: https://saverockythegreatdane.org/

9. Release Echo to canine behavioral trainer James Thai from Vancouver, BC, Canada who will adopt Echo.  This removes Echo physically out of the USA.   

Ark Valley Humane Society to date has refused to accept these offers.

For now, Echo’s life hangs in the balance.  He’s confined in a cage at Ark Valley Humane Society, isolated, alone, scared, where he’s drugged twice a day with Trazodone, a drug that is used to sedate dogs that have anxiety or fear.  

Trazodone can cause anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, irritability, hostility, impulsivity, and movement disorders. Some dogs respond very poorly to Trazadone and experience increased anxiety or agitation, in which case all medication must be immediately stopped.

Insiders at AVHS say that Echo is far removed from anyone, without any social interaction. They don’t agree with their management’s decision but are unable to do anything about it. Their jobs have been threatened if they speak with anyone outside of AVHS about Echo and his condition.  

Sophia and Shawn have still not been granted permission by Van Leuken to see him. The last time they saw Echo was on February 2^nd. They’re desperate to see Echo and provide him comfort. 

Many canine experts, including animal rescues, breeders, veterinarians, animal rights attorneys, and canine behavioral trainers well versed in working with large dogs have expressed their outrage at Ark Valley Humane Society and its leadership’s decision to kill Echo, a dog that many say the shelter is ill equipped to handle. 

According to a veterinarian, who is among many following Echo’s case throughout the US and beyond, “Having practiced veterinary medicine for over 50 years, I havenever needed to murder a family pet who passed behavioral mediation.”  

Should Echo, through no fault of his own, be forced to die at the hands of Ark-Valley Humane Society’s leadership or be granted the opportunity to receive behavioral training, as he was promised by the shelter’s staff, and live?  Echo’s parents, together with their supporters, hope that Amber Van Leuken and the people she reports to–“my bosses, the Board of Directors”—who, according to Van Leuken are involved with all of the shelter’s important decisions, including  killing dogs in their care, will turn Echo over to the experts who truly understand giant breed behavior, and allow Echo to live. 

“It’s criminal to make this animal pay for his life because of the shelter’s mistakes,” added Tsai. “It’s obvious to those of us who work with Danes and other large breeds such as Echo, that Ark Valley Humane Society doesn’t understand him, nor possesses the skillset to work with him.  They’ve declared Echo as dangerous, while admitting that their trainer inadvertently caused Echo to be afraid of them.” 

“Companion animals are entitled to be recognized under the law as more than mere disposable property.   They are irreplaceable and should be treated as such.” 

– The Center for Animal Litigation

#SaveEcho
#TheSoulOfaDog
#ArfArfBarkBark