25 pit bulls to be put to sleep

by Courtney Johnson

Wednesday, January 31, 2007 00:00

The Dane County Humane Society announced Tuesday that more than two dozen pit bulls that were seized as part of a Dane County Sheriff's Department investigation will be euthanized. Forty-seven pit bulls that were reportedly bred for fighting by their owner, Robert Lowery, have spent the last seven months at the Dane County Humane Society. The dogs were seized following a drug raid on Lowery's property last year. "That's definitely been a financial strain, and that's all money we've had to pay for out our own pocket," said Gayle Viney, public relations and membership coordinator for the DCHS. Viney said that, to date, it has cost the DCHS about $220,000 to care for the seized pitbulls. She said that, while there has been talk of Dane County paying for about half of the expenditures, nothing has been decided definitely. The sheriff's department brought criminal dog-fighting charges against Lowery and his wife, Julie Dzikowich. As part of the agreement with the Humane Society, Dane County and the Dane County District Attorney's Office, these charges will be dropped. However, Lowery recently plead guilty to federal drug trafficking and is currently at a federal prison hospital in North Carolina while he receives cancer treatment. Of the 47 seized pitbulls, nine will be returned to Dzikowich, according to a release issued by the DCHS. These nine dogs have been determined to be pets based on their friendly demeanor. But of the 38 dogs remaining at the DCHS, 25 will be euthanized due to aggressive behavior exhibited since the seizure. "They can be extremely dangerous dogs," said Andrea Farrell, president of the University of Wisconsin Student Animal Legal Defense Foundation. "As much as I love animals, I can see why they would have to be put to sleep." Farrell said that even if the DCHS did try to rehabilitate the pit bulls, it would be unlikely that new behaviors would last long. As part of the agreement with the Humane Society, officials will have the authority to check in on Dzikowich and the nine dogs she considers pets. "We can go back," Viney said. "If we see anything that is suspicious, or that they're hurting the dogs, we get to take all nine dogs back." Viney said the DCHS did not want any of the dogs to go back to Dzikowich, but they did not want to drag out the process any longer. Farrell agreed this is not an ideal situation for the dogs. "I personally don't believe that somebody who has been a known dog fighter should be able to house [dogs], especially pit bulls," Farrell said. However, she added that there is nothing that can be done to take the pit bulls away from Dzikowich, as dogs are legally considered property. The agreement with the DCHS also states that Dzikowich and Lowery are not to transfer ownership of any of the nine dogs. The dogs will also be implanted with microchips to ensure their safety, according to a DCHS release. — The Associated Press contributed to this report.