More and more cases

“My dog has bitten and has to go now”

According to the accident database of the "Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit" (Austrian Road Safety Board), there are around 3,900 people injured by dog bites in Austria every year who require hospital treatment. The number of unreported cases is estimated to be much higher.(Bild: Светлана Акифьева - stock.adobe.com)

Not a week goes by in the "Krone" animal corner without at least one call from dog owners who want to give up their four-legged friends because they can no longer cope with them. More and more often, euthanasia is the last resort, especially when "Fido" has bitten someone. 

Particularly serious cases, such as the recent biting incidents involving "Ernie" or "Xena," make the headlines, but the majority of cases happen without increased media interest. On average, around ten people a day are treated in hospital in Austria for bite injuries, but no one can say how often dogs actually bite. 

This was also the case with the young dog "Gina," who reacted aggressively to people from an early age and repeatedly snapped at them at home. The owners lost confidence in their own dog, and training sessions at various dog schools were only half-heartedly completed. But when a dog exhibits such behavior, alarm bells should ring for every dog owner. 

The Malinois bitch "Gina", who was only about fourteen months old, could no longer be controlled by her owners. They didn't know what else to do but ask the vet to euthanize her. (Symbolic image)(Bild: Ines Meier Fotografie)

No consistent training
"In this case, the owners were too weak, and 'Gina' took the lead in her insecurity and got her own way. If you don't work on a problem like this, it will only get worse," says trainer Gaby Friedl. Appointments were often canceled, and the professionals at the "Martin Rütter Dog School" in Wiener Neustadt rarely saw "Gina." 

Weeks later, the case ended up on the TV show "Tierecke" when an appointment was made at a veterinary practice in Lower Austria to put "Gina" down. "Tierecke" host Maggie Entenfellner contacted the owners and looked for ways to spare the young dog. This was a difficult undertaking, as hardly anyone takes on such difficult cases.

"When buying a puppy, many people are unaware of the genetic characteristics that their 'lovely puppy' will inherit. This is completely underestimated, especially with a working breed such as the Malinois, which is often used in military or police service," says Entenfellner.

Is that even allowed?
But is it possible to euthanize a healthy, young dog just because the owners have neglected its training and exercise? Yes and no, according to lawyer Regina Binder, who specializes in animal welfare and veterinary law at the University of Veterinary Medicine. 

Her interpretation of the Animal Welfare Act states: "If a biting incident is based on a behavioral disorder such as hyperaggression or fear biting, euthanasia is not justified if, according to the relevant findings, it can be successfully treated with reasonable effort." 

She goes on to say: "A 'reasonable' reason for euthanasia will be affirmed if a severe behavioral disorder is diagnosed and, in the opinion of an expert, treatment appears to be futile." 

Euthanizing a healthy animal is an ethical tightrope walk.(Bild: © Eleonore Horiot)

A big taboo topic
However, according to reports, "expert opinions" are often made in summary proceedings, sometimes even without having seen the dog or subjected it to a test beforehand. In her ARD TV report "Hunde Boom" (Dog Boom), journalist Anja Reschke investigates whether dogs are euthanized in Germany without medical reason. Of course, there are no official figures on this, because this procedure is not permitted without indication. 

In a survey of 80 veterinarians asking whether anyone had ever approached them with such a request, Reschke received only one response: "Yes, we are aware of such cases, but it has not yet occurred in our own practice." The rest remained silent. 

Georg Resch wants to give dogs with behavioral problems a second chance. His association, "Teufels Hunde" (Devil's Dogs), cannot even begin to cope with the incoming requests and concentrates on extreme cases.(Bild: Marlin Wolf Photography)

Second chance for young dog
Back to the case of "Gina" – she cheated death and ended up in a foster home run by "Teufels Hunde." This was a stroke of luck for the young animal, because they quickly realized that euthanasia would have been the wrong course of action: "Judging by her behavior, the dog has probably had very little experience. 'Gina' is very insecure and starts snapping out of fear. But we can work on that, and she will certainly find a suitable home where she will get the right support," says association chairman Georg Resch, who specializes in the resocialization of extremely difficult dogs. 

Pure blackmail from animal shelters
For numerous animal shelters and also trainer Georg Resch, the topic of "euthanasia" is an everyday issue. He receives around 20 calls or emails per month in which pet owners present the expert with a difficult decision.

He has anonymously shared some of them with the "Krone" newspaper for review, and they always say: "My dog has bitten someone, he has to go now. Either you take him in, or we will unfortunately have to put him down..." 
A sad development that is apparently slowly becoming a trend. 

Update from 2026: Following the latest developments, the Krone Tierecke has expressly distanced itself from Georg Resch.