On a cold March night in Oklahoma City, Toya Stewart did something most people only think about. She broke into an animal shelter to save her dog from being euthanized. The story of the woman who breaks into a shelter to save a dog she loved — and what happened next — is one of the most heartbreaking and thought-provoking rescue stories in recent memory.
Hazel was a Pit Bull. That detail matters, because it shapes everything about how her story played out.
Hazel’s Story: A Dog Who Was There Through Everything
Hazel came home with Stewart when she was just two months old. For years, she was a constant companion through some of the hardest stretches of Stewart’s life — an abusive relationship, homelessness, and the kind of instability that breaks people down. Through all of it, Hazel was there.
“She doesn’t deserve it, and they knew that I loved her,” Stewart said. “Why would you kill somebody that somebody loved so much?”
Hazel was loyal and loving with her family. But she bit the mailman and a small dog on separate occasions. After several bite incidents, Oklahoma City officials deemed her dangerous and ordered her euthanized. Oklahoma City Animal Welfare took custody of the dog.
Stewart appealed. She tried every legal avenue she could find. Nothing worked.
The Decision to Break In
With the execution date approaching and her legal options exhausted, Stewart made a decision that most people would call desperate — and that many dog owners would completely understand.
She used a drone to scout the shelter’s layout, mapping out the building and the perimeter. After two failed attempts, she got in. She broke a window, pried open Hazel’s kennel, and crawled under the perimeter fence with Hazel following close behind.
“I didn’t want to break any laws, I don’t want to harm anyone, I just wanted my dog,” Stewart said.
She got a few more days with Hazel at home. Then police located them, returned Hazel to the shelter, and arrested Stewart.
The Outcome That Broke Everyone
Hazel was euthanized anyway. The judge’s order stood.
Stewart wasn’t even given the body to bury. She faced criminal charges for the break-in. And she says she’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
“I couldn’t let her die like that. I had to let her know that I’ve tried everything for her.”
This story is painful not just because of Hazel’s death, but because of how preventable it felt. A dog with some behavioral problems. An owner who loved her deeply. A system that had no middle ground between compliance and a needle.
Stewart’s story isn’t unique. Tragically, it plays out in different forms all over the country every single day. Animal control agencies have euthanized dogs after promising owners they’d be safe. Owners who trusted the system have lost dogs they never got to say goodbye to.
Breed Discrimination and the Pit Bull Problem
Hazel’s story can’t be told without talking about the reality of being a Pit Bull in America.
Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) targets dogs based on how they look, not how they behave. Dozens of cities and counties across the US restrict or outright ban Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and other breeds deemed “dangerous.” An owner can do everything right — good training, responsible ownership, proper socialization — and still face a death sentence for their dog if they live in the wrong zip code.
Twenty-two states have now passed laws banning breed discrimination, which is real progress. But in states and cities without those protections, Pit Bulls remain at enormous risk simply because of their appearance.
The science doesn’t support BSL. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control, and the National Canine Research Council have all concluded that BSL doesn’t improve public safety. Dogs bite based on their individual history, how they were raised, and the situation they’re in — not their breed. The fight to end breed discrimination is ongoing, and stories like Hazel’s are exactly why it matters.
The Reality of Shelter Euthanasia in the US
Here’s the hard truth that most people don’t want to look at directly.
According to the ASPCA, approximately 390,000 dogs are euthanized in US shelters every year. That number has dropped dramatically from the 1970s when it was closer to 20 million annually — but 390,000 is still 390,000 individual lives. Most of them are dogs that could have been saved with more resources, more adopters, or more time.
| Metric | Annual Estimate |
|---|---|
| Dogs entering US shelters | ~3.1 million |
| Dogs adopted from shelters | ~2.0 million |
| Dogs returned to owners | ~620,000 |
| Dogs euthanized in shelters | ~390,000 |
| Pit Bull-type dogs in shelters | ~40% of all dogs |
| Average shelter stay before euthanasia decision | Varies widely (days to weeks) |
Pit Bull-type dogs make up roughly 40% of shelter populations in the US, though they represent only a fraction of the total dog population. They stay in shelters longer. They’re adopted out less frequently. And when a shelter is full and resources are stretched thin, they’re often the first to face euthanasia.
Pit Bulls are consistently among the most abandoned dog breeds in the country — not because they’re bad dogs, but because of a combination of irresponsible breeding, breed discrimination in housing and insurance, and an ongoing public misperception about their temperament.
Dogs on “Kill Lists” — A Pattern Bigger Than One Story
Hazel’s story isn’t isolated. Dogs across America find themselves on euthanasia lists every single day, often for reasons that have more to do with overcrowded facilities and limited resources than anything the dog actually did.
There are stories of Pit Bulls who spent weeks on kill lists, believing their time was up — until a rescue stepped in at the last moment. And there are senior shelter dogs who lose hope after months of being passed over by adopters who don’t realize how much love these animals still have to give.
The difference between life and death for a shelter dog is often just one phone call. One person who shares a post. One rescue that has room for one more.
Shelters across the US house millions of dogs each year, and not all of them make it out.
What Happens When Owners Run Out of Legal Options
Stewart’s case raises a question that’s genuinely hard to answer: what’s a dog owner supposed to do when they’ve exhausted every legal avenue and their dog is going to die?
Most legal experts would say there’s no justification for breaking into a shelter. The law is clear. But most dog owners can also understand, viscerally, what drove Stewart to do it. When you’ve raised an animal from puppyhood, when that dog has been there through the worst moments of your life, “following the law” can feel hollow.
What Stewart’s case actually exposes is a gap in the system: the near-total absence of alternatives for owners facing court-ordered euthanasia. In other situations, dogs deemed “dangerous” can sometimes be placed with rescue organizations that specialize in rehabilitation, sent out of the jurisdiction, or kept under strict conditions. Those options weren’t offered here, or didn’t work out in time.
Better systems — ones with mandatory appeals, third-party behavioral assessments, and rescue placement options before euthanasia — would help. They exist in some cities. They don’t in others.
How You Can Help Shelter Dogs Right Now
If Hazel’s story hit you hard, that feeling can turn into something useful. Here’s what actually moves the needle for shelter dogs:
- Foster: Fostering a dog from a local shelter opens a kennel spot for another animal and often dramatically improves a dog’s chances of being adopted. You don’t have to commit forever.
- Donate to breed-specific rescues: Organizations that specialize in Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and other stigmatized breeds are often chronically underfunded and work incredibly hard for dogs who’d otherwise have no options.
- Share shelter dogs on social media: A single share can reach the right person. Shelters and rescues post dogs on the verge of being euthanized regularly. Following local shelter accounts and sharing urgent posts costs nothing.
- Advocate against BSL: Contact your local representatives and support organizations fighting breed-specific legislation in your state.
- Adopt instead of shop: When you’re ready to bring home a dog, give a shelter dog the chance first. Some of the most loving dogs are sitting in shelters right now, just waiting for someone to see them.
And if you’ve got a Pit Bull at home, take great care of them — including proper nutrition, training, and socialization. The best argument against breed discrimination is a well-adjusted, well-loved dog.
The bond between a dog and their person is something most dog owners understand on a gut level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the woman who broke into the shelter get charged with a crime?
Yes. After police recovered Hazel and returned her to Oklahoma City Animal Welfare, Toya Stewart was taken to jail. She faced criminal charges related to the break-in, though the specifics of what charges were filed or how the case resolved weren’t publicly detailed in early reports.
Why was Hazel ordered to be euthanized?
Hazel, Stewart’s Pit Bull, had bitten the mailman and a small dog on separate occasions. After multiple bite incidents, Oklahoma City authorities deemed her a dangerous dog under local ordinance and issued a court order for euthanasia. Stewart tried to appeal the decision through legal channels before resorting to breaking into the shelter.
Can a dog owner fight a euthanasia order?
Yes, but options vary widely by location. Owners can typically appeal through local animal control appeals processes, request a hearing before a judge, or work with rescue organizations to place the dog out of the jurisdiction. The success rate depends on local laws, the specifics of the incident, and how much time remains before the order is carried out. An animal law attorney can help identify options.
How many dogs are euthanized in US shelters each year?
The ASPCA estimates approximately 390,000 dogs are euthanized in US shelters annually. That number has dropped dramatically over the past 50 years thanks to spay/neuter programs, adoption campaigns, and rescue organizations, but it remains significant. Pit Bull-type dogs make up a disproportionate share of that number.
What is breed-specific legislation (BSL) and is it effective?
BSL refers to laws that restrict or ban specific dog breeds, most commonly Pit Bull-type dogs, Rottweilers, and Dobermans. These laws are based on the idea that certain breeds are inherently more dangerous. However, major veterinary and public health organizations — including the AVMA and the CDC — have concluded that BSL doesn’t reduce dog bites or improve public safety. Twenty-two US states have now passed laws prohibiting breed-specific bans at the local level.
What can I do to help dogs facing euthanasia in shelters?
You can foster or adopt from local shelters, donate to breed-specific rescues, share urgent shelter dogs on social media, and advocate against breed-specific legislation. Even a single social media share of a dog on a euthanasia list can be the thing that saves their life by reaching the right person at the right time.
When Love Isn’t Enough — But Still Matters
Toya Stewart didn’t save Hazel. The system was too entrenched, the order too final. But what she did — the scouting, the failed attempts, the window, the fence, those extra days together — wasn’t for nothing.
Dogs don’t understand court orders. Hazel didn’t know what euthanasia meant. She just knew her person came for her. That’s not nothing. That’s actually everything.
What Stewart’s story does — beyond breaking your heart — is force a harder conversation about how we treat dogs in this country. About breed discrimination that kills thousands of perfectly loving animals every year. About a shelter system still struggling with impossible numbers. About what happens when the law and love point in opposite directions, and someone has to choose.
Stewart chose her dog. Most of us know exactly why.
Toledo, United States.