Heartbroken dog owners launch petition to save a life

The “last hope” of a family of heartbroken dog owners has taken the form of an online petition which they hope may save the life of their pet German Shepherd, Diesel.

A judge has ruled that the five-year-old German Shepherd must be put down, as a result of biting an ex-RAF dog handler.

Lisa and Martin McShane have owned Diesel since he was a young pup, although he had apparently had a bad experience with strangers before they had him.

They called out former dog handler Michael Lauchlan to come and assess Diesel, and see how he would be able to cope with the arrival of their second child.

After being left alone in a room with Mr. Lauchlan in February of last year, Diesel apparently attacked him, and bit him on the arm.

“We were so shocked by what had happened we took Diesel to be put down, but the vet refused, stating he was a perfectly healthy dog and the bit had been a one-off incident, alone in a room with a stranger,” said Mrs McShane is reported to say.

Since that time, the McShane’s say that they have had Diesel neutered, and keep him in a muzzle and on a short lead when out in public, taking “measures to make sure it would never happen again.”

However, a judge has now decreed that Diesel must be put down, and the family of four (including the couple’s 11 year old daughter, Jenna, and their baby daughter Mia, who has been born since the incident) are trying all they can to change the judge’s mind.

Using an online petition on Change.org, they are trying to spread the word about Diesel and their predicament, and are hoping that enough international support will help to overturn the ruling and save their beloved dog.

Ms McShane added: “I’m not sure what the petition will achieve, but it was all we could do to show that we desperately want to keep Diesel with us and if it works, it will have been well worth it.”

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