Luck has not been on Draco’s side for the first two years of his life. The Labrador Retriever mix has already found himself in three different homes in Fairfax County, Virginia. His first two families both said he was the sweetest, and they only rehomed him due to difficulties finding dog-friendly housing. But when Draco came to his third family, things changed. Suddenly, they returned him to the shelter and opened a dangerous dog case against him. But Draco’s former family knows that he’s not dangerous, and they’re doing everything they can to fight for his life. But will their efforts be enough?
Draco Looks for Love
Like all rescue dogs, Draco wanted nothing but love. Daniella Bizzoco adopted him and quickly developed a strong bond with him. She wanted to keep him with her more than anything, but when she suddenly had to move to New York, it became difficult. She couldn’t find suitable housing that allowed dogs there, so she decided to look for a kind family to take him in.
“He was so sweet. He’s really adorable,” Bizzoco said. “We had him for two months but within those two months, we got really attached to him.”
When she found a family that was willing to adopt Draco, she informed them that if he wasn’t the right fit for them, she would take him and figure something out. The family sent her updates about him, letting Bizzoco know that the pup was just as sweet and happy as always. But out of nowhere, the family’s positivity disappeared.
The family returned Draco to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter without warning, claiming that there were some “incidents.” They didn’t give details about what happened, but it’s implied that Draco bit someone. To make matters worse, they started a court case to label him as a dangerous dog. Bizzoco was heartbroken. The Draco she knew would never bite unprovoked.
Dog Lovers Fight for Draco
Bizzoco did everything she could to save Draco. She begged the family to change their mind and she told them that her grandma would gladly take him in. But the family still testified against him, which means he’ll likely be euthanized soon. Bizzoco knows in her heart that Draco is not dangerous though, and she said he also never showed signs of aggression with his family before her. So, she suspects that the bite occurred because someone was playing with him in a way he didn’t like, so he defended himself.
Dr. Ed Marits, the director of Second Chance Animal Rescue, was heartbroken when he heard about Draco’s story. He agreed that Draco’s behaviors were likely just a misunderstanding. He explained that he didn’t want to see a perfectly good dog euthanized solely because of mislabeling.
“All canines can have ‘puppy behaviors’ as long as three or four years,” Marits said. “A normal pet dog will bite anytime if something is done that somehow causes the dog to have a reaction.”
Bizzoco has since shared a public Facebook post urging other dog lovers to help in any way possible. Luckily, many people have contacted Fairfax County officials to help make a difference, and many kind strangers have offered other ways to help save Draco. It’s unclear if all this support will be enough in the end, but Bizzoco refuses to give up. Dogs often act out when they’re faced with an uncomfortable situation, but they shouldn’t be euthanized for it. Sweet Draco deserves a second chance.
H/T: khou.com
Featured Image: Daniella Bizzoco Facebook
Toledo, United States.
