Pit bull almost sentenced to death after killing child now a pampered pooch

An American pit bull terrier that mauled a 3-year-old boy to death in rural Pingtung County in December is now living the life of a pampered pooch in Taipei City after being adopted by a couple last month.

Animal lovers flooded Pingtung County Magistrate Pan Men-an’s (潘孟安) Facebook page pleading to save the life of the dog after it was handed over to the Pingtung County Agriculture Department following the fatal mauling on December 2, 2021. Agriculture department personnel placed the dog in a shelter, where he faced an uncertain fate with the possibility that he would be humanely euthanized.

However, the Taiwan Dog Lovers Association stepped in and advocated for the animal, which they named “Thor,” arguing that he was a docile and affectionate dog. On December 6, Magistrate Pan said “Every life has the right to exist, and the death of a three-year-old child is a tragedy, but regardless of the emotion and rationalization, we must eventually return to the law for the final judgment.”

After a judicial investigation by the District Prosecutor’s Office, it was decided to put the dog up for adoption.

The Taiwan Dog Lovers Association began a search for a suitable owner. Criteria included that prospective new owner could not own other dogs, nor have children, and must have experience raising dogs. On March 3, volunteers drove Thor from Pingtung County to the nation’s capital Taipei City to be place with his new owners.

Thor, originally raised to be a ferocious guard dog in an orchard in a remote rural mountain district, now enjoys a life of leisure as a pampered city pooch.

Chairman of the Taiwan Dog Lovers Association, Yan Xingjuan (顏杏娟), posted an updated on Facebook today, noting that Thor was very happy in his new home and had put on a considerable amount of weight.

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