Huckleberries Online

In The News: Surviving In Nebraska

Posted by DFO

Dec. 17, 2009 8:39 a.m. • 21 comments

Two pug dogs named Harry, right, and Sally, are pictured at the Nebraska Humane Society in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday. Police in the Omaha suburb of Papillion say the dogs fed on the body of their owner after he had killed himself. A Humane Society spokesman would not verify that the dogs had fed on the body, but said it would be normal behavior for dogs left without food or water for two weeks. The dogs, who are up for adoption, they will be carefully matched with new owners.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Question: Should these dogs be adopted out? Or put down after eating human flesh?

21 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

factchecker on December 17 at 8:49 a.m.
It’s not their fault their owner committed suicide with no concern for what would happen to them. They only did what was instinctual. It seems really unjust to even consider destroying them. I hope someone gives them a loving home.
Cindy_H on December 17 at 9:04 a.m.
Holy cow, DFO! This is not the kind of question I want to ponder first thing in the morning. I haven’t even had my coffee yet!
Double yuck and a lump of coal :-(
Phaedrus on December 17 at 9:12 a.m.
Adopted. The one on the left looks a lot like our local police spokesman.
Phaedrus on December 17 at 9:13 a.m.
it is kinda creepy how the one on the right is licking his chops.
Fixer on December 17 at 9:31 a.m.
Well, they’re small dogs, and can’t eat much at one time anyhow…
moscow_minidoka on December 17 at 9:39 a.m.
Fixer, obviously you’ve never seen a pug eat.

I think the dogs should be put down. It doesn’t matter how small they are, or if it was the owner’s fault - would you feel safe having these dogs around kids or old people when you know they’ve eaten human flesh?

I certainly wouldn’t.
Phaedrus on December 17 at 9:42 a.m.
Now I am going to be a bit nervous every time my dog licks me.
idawa on December 17 at 9:43 a.m.
begone demon pugs … begone.

Judging from the looks of thing, Harry must “eaten” more of his master than the other.

I’ve often wondered how long it would take for my pets to eat me if they had to … I’m guessing that cats would turn within an hour or so of death, the dog, maybe a week or so.

sad story, in all aspects.
trailrunner on December 17 at 10:29 a.m.
moscow - If you are not comfortable with them in your home, then you should not have them in to your home. But to say they should be put down because YOU aren’t comfortable with them is arrogant, and short sighted. Should we put you down b/c I am not comfortable with you in my home - you, who could be heartless enough to put a pug down? What about the humans that have been forced into cannibalism? (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106246/) Should we also put them down?

Further, noone can say whether the pugs enjoyed the experience. Most likely after 2 weeks it tasted pretty darn awful, something they’re not keen to repeat.
DFO on December 17 at 10:37 a.m.
What would you guys have done to me had I used the picture of the pugs as my APhoto of the Day?
marmitetoasty on December 17 at 10:48 a.m.
If ya was to adopt these dogs, one would have to make sure ya didnt fall asleep whilst they was in the same room LOL

x
Fixer on December 17 at 10:58 a.m.
DFO - I’d probably post something like “Postal carriers in Omaha realize that a simple dog bite really isn’t so bad after all.”
brentandrews on December 17 at 12:02 p.m.
LOL, love the tongue licking up on the one dog … like, ‘Yum’!

Definitely adopt them out - with a warning perhaps for the new owner to keep them well-fed.

I would not mind my dogs feeding on me, if they needed to. I definitely wouldn’t want them put to sleep for that. I’d haunt somebody over that.
hhuseland on December 17 at 12:35 p.m.
At this point it isn’t important that it wasn’t the dogs fault. They have tasted human flesh and should never be trusted in a family atmosphere, especially around small children. I’d put them down, knowing that they,too are victims, but I’d do it anyway for the protection of others.
jazzyvandal on December 17 at 1:12 p.m.
I saw the news video on these two. They passed the temperment tests. They appear to be happy and active dogs. Dogs don’t have memories like people do. Sure, they have tasted human flesh, but do you think they are going to gnaw on your arm in your sleep? Adopt them out to someone without kids.
JeanC on December 17 at 2:52 p.m.
Adopt. I fully expect my critters would do the same if I dropped dead with them locked in the house with no food and water for 2 weeks.

If they had killed the owner and then eaten him then that would be a different story.
ejs on December 17 at 5:13 p.m.
Sheeesh there’re freakin dogs, they don’t know anything but eat sleep and crap. The Donner party ate human flesh so did those poor souls that crashed in the plane in the Andes did they get put down.
Hell my dog eats cat shyte, yeah go figure, that alone should be a reason to put her down. I mean if she ate the cat that uses the planter as a litter box instead of wht they leave behind, we would be on to something
BayviewBob on December 17 at 8:18 p.m.
These dogs broke man-dog law.
.
Dogs are suppose to lay down next to you and starve to death.

Cats will start to eat you before you get cold.

You would expect it from cats, but not dogs.

They don’t have to be put down, but they are definitely kicked out of the “dude” club!
christiewood on December 17 at 8:49 p.m.
Hello,
Oscar here. Today is my 12th birthday. For my birthday wish I would like to see my cousins pardoned. After all…it not like there were a lot of choices on the menu.
For my birthday dinner I had steak. Yummy. Red meat is delicious. Sleep tight.
Cindy_H on December 17 at 9:10 p.m.
Bayview Bob is on Milo’s naughty list.
Just saying.
spokelooneh on December 17 at 9:34 p.m.
LMAO Christy!

As we’ve talked about very recently, the dog-human relationship can be absolutely amazing.

But you can’t breed out all instinct, such as the will to live, which requires some sort of food. Dogs will eat a dead human IF THEY HAVE TO. And so will humans, as pointed out, Donner party, ALIVE!, etc.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.