Fairbanks borough commission to hear appeal for German shepherd ordered euthanized after bite

The Fairbanks North Star Borough Animal Control Commission will hear an appeal Wednesday, Oct. 14, of an order to euthanize Shadow, a German shepherd that bit a tow-truck worker Sept. 22.

The commission can affirm, reverse or modify the order. Animal Control staff bear the burden of proof.

Shadow got out when a household member opened the door of a Long Spur Loop home where the worker was providing towing services. He bit twice, once breaking the skin.

"I want to reiterate I do not have any desire for this dog to be euthanized," the worker wrote to Animal Control, calling it "an unfortunate but largely harmless incident."

Shadow was properly vaccinated against rabies, and no signs of rabies had been reported during his 10-day quarantine when the findings were issued.

Animal Control Officer Mary Foster applied none of the borough code's exceptions to a dangerous-animal finding, such as an accidental bite, citing the bite location and number of bites, the staff report says.

Shadow was declared dangerous in 2023 after lunging at officers, with conditions requiring neutering by March 4, 2023, and a locked kennel by March 31, 2023. Foster's findings say neither condition was met. In February, she pleaded with the owner to comply and warned that escalation could bring mandated euthanasia.

On Sept. 12, the report says, Shadow "allegedly attacked and bit an older male individual on a bicycle," and the caretaker confirmed by voicemail that he had gotten out that day too.

Animal Control records show 26 reports on Shadow, 13 of them stray aggressive calls, and 11 citations to the owner and caretaker totaling $2,520. Five of those citations were for failing to maintain dangerous-animal conditions.

"This is not a decision I make lightly, but one I have made for the safety of the community," Foster wrote the owners Oct. 1.

The caretaker who filed the appeal submitted nothing by the Oct. 7 document deadline. The appeal form calls Shadow "a member of our family," says the circumstances are "hard to explain on paper" and says the owner would be back within a week to care for him.

Without the appeal, Shadow would have been euthanized Oct. 12. Foster recommends upholding the order. Shadow remains at the Davis Road shelter until the hearing.