Clever Canine Ducks Death Row - Smarter than the Average Dog

SIT, STAY, STAY OF EXECUTION

This loopy looking Labrador was smart enough to cheat her way off of death row. Now that's one helluva trick (sure beats playing dead).

KANSAS CITY, MO (USA)
Apr 18, 2007

Let's have a pop quiz...
If you were a dog about to be euthanized, what would you do?

a)Pee on the floor.
b)Claw, bite, maul someone.
c)Yell, "Freeeeeeedommm!"

(hey, it worked for Mel Gibson)
d)Shake the executioner's hand.

If you answered a, b or c, then have a nice afterlife, pal. The correct answer is d. Or at least that's what worked for a stray dog in Kansas City.

The unidentified Labrador mutt (later named "Lucky") was scheduled to be euthanized at the Kansas City, MO Animal Shelter. But at the moment she faced her executioner, Lucky did a very unusual thing, says canine caretaker Andrea Galeski. "She shook the guy's hand as he was going to put her to sleep."

Kansas City Animal Control euthanizes an average of 19 dogs per day1, and Lucky was about to be just another statistic, but the dog's pitiable gesture of goodwill was all it took to get a reprieve from the man with the needle. "He put her back in the cage," says Ms. Galeski.

After that, Ms. Galeski felt something had to be done. Her doggie daycare organization Puppy's Playpen was not looking for another pooch, but Lucky was persuasive.

"She just looked at me with the look of, What do you want me to do next? Just tell me what to do!" says Ms. Galeski.

"So I'm going to take her. She deserves a second chance."

Puppy's Playpen, which sponsors animal rescue, will be holding an adoption drive on April 21 in Overland Park where one lucky family may be able to take Lucky home. Drop by if you're in the area, and if you see our hand-shaking heroine there, be sure to give her a hi-5.

Well, ok, a hi-4 would do just as well.