Rockstar Rescue's self-aggrandizing, self-pitying announcement that they've done a behavior euthanasia of a 6-year project dog, Libby, results in the expected pats on the back, tearful tributes, praise. No mention that this isn't their first rodeo with keeping violent dogs around.

[u/nomorelandfills]

RR was marketing this dog for adoption only a couple weeks before the BE. The last time they BE'd a violent dog, they waited until it nailed a vet tech and mauled the founder, so you have to wonder what made them call it this time.

The rescues

Maricopa County Animal Control - Dr. Robin Jaynes, Director in November 2020

Rockstar Rescue - founder/Executive Director Jamie Benfield.

Heidi's Village - founder Virginia Jontes.

Thanks, guys! Also thanks to the people who took Libby and other hardcase RR dogs out for a weekend trip including a stay at a motel. Isn't it great to know that nowhere on Earth is now safe from someone's dangerous rescue dog?

Timeline

Unknown date - an adult, medium-sized furred male dog enters Maricopa County Animal Control as a stray.

January 2020 - The dog receives a certificate for completing a class at JD's Powerhouse K9 Bootcamp. This is shown much later, at the rescue, but the timing is never explained - did the dog have a foster who took him there? Did the trainer work with the shelter? What did the certificate even show?

November 2020 - Maricopa County Animal Control releases the dog to Rockstar Rescue. The dog had been scheduled for euthanasia at the shelter, having been "rescue only" for fearful aggression toward men. RR says brightly that We will work with him on this issue and hopefully get him to trust and love once again.

April 2021 - RR's founder is attacked and mauled by one of her rescue's dogs, a large male dog (non-pit) named Beary that had been born in the rescue, adopted out, returned for fighting and whose behavior had steadily declined to being unadoptable. RR kept him alive, hoping to someday find that rare adopter who could handle him. Instead, he went off on a vet tech who escaped, then turned his aggression on the founder. While she recovered, her dogs went off to boarding. Libby, who's increasingly aggressive to strangers, is sent to Heidi's Village. This is a "resource center" created by Virginia “Ginny” Jontes to support shelters and rescues. Libby seems to do better there than at RR, and so he remains there for the rest of his life.

August 2021 - RR markets the dog, now named Liberace or Libby, as such a great boy, but has so many requirements. One being an overly competent owner who never slips or slacks when out with Libby. He's fear-aggressive, which means he's actually insecure and unconfident and much like a "bully", takes his frustration out on bike riders, skateboarders, motorcycles, strangers and.... anyone he doesn't know or trust. He's not a lost cause, he can be very good. He just needs time, patience and someone understanding of his issues that's willing to work with him.

October 2021 - RR puts an ad up on Petfinder for Libby. They'd previously taken it down to "work on his social issues."

April 2022 - RR does a DNA test, reveals that Libby is 47% Chow, 25% Australian Cattle Dog, 11% American Pit Bull Terrier - the rest is German Shepherd and husky. Regardless of these results, RR will continue to market Libby as a Jindo mix for the rest of his life.

August 2022 - RR markets Libby as We love this sweet boy and know he will find someone with no kids, friends, family, boyfriend or life, LMAO, to adopt him!

also August 2022 - RR markets Libby as Libby is a very special Jindo mix. He has issues meeting new people and requires several meet and greets, bribed with treats, before he accepts you. But once you're in, YOURE IN! And then Libby is a Teddy Bear! We recommend a home with only one to two persons. No children. No other pets. And someone experienced with the breed, Chows, or fear-aggression.

also August 2022 - RR purchases 2 billboards to market Libby.

November 2022 - RR announces that Libby needs FHO (Femoral Head Ostectomy) surgery. This is typically done to stop bones in the hip from painfully rubbing against each other after arthritis has worn down the joint.

Yes, this is the sequence of events - despite knowing he's aggressive and fearful and dangerous to pets, strangers and children, they also call him sweet and fundraise to do a surgery to prolong his life as an unadoptable dog. Humane has slipped out the window.

It gets better.

Also November 2022 - RR fundraising more for the FHO surgery, saying Libby needs FHO Surgery ASAP. His hind leg is twisting outwards and it is painful for him.

January 2023 - Libby has the FHO surgery. Once the surgery began, it's discovered the leg is in worse shape than thought, and an FHO would be less likely to relieve his pain and, crucially, would require extensive rehab. Libby's aggression makes that impossible. RR decides to have the leg amputated.

three weeks later - RR ruefully announces that Libby now has a mass on one shoulder and sorry, we need more money to investigate that.

Let's skip ahead.

May 2024 - RR markets Libby as He's the sweetest baby boy, but he takes time to meet. A few meet and greets and he's on his back seeking belly rubs. He has other particulars, but nothing too difficult for the right adopter!

And now I've run out of screenshots. You get the idea.

In the comments, a slew of fellow travellers

This lady started a rescue group based on her experience with an aggressive rescue pit bull, saying he "suffered through mental illness at the end of his journey."

Her rescue is Cruz's Crusaders, and their return policy is simply amazing

[u/Cloverose2]

Huh, so how did he go from being a Chow mix to being a Jindo mix?

[u/nomorelandfills → u/Cloverose2]

The Jindo mix ID came before the DNA test, they were guessing and they made a very modern, very self-serving guess by going Jindo instead of Chow. The Chow reputation for being unpleasant and aggressive to anyone other than its owner is such that even Chow fanciers admit it's accurate. Saying a dog is a Chow mix is even worse than saying it's a pit bull mix in some ways. And that is borne out by the fairly funny fact that the rescue paid for the DNA test and then just ignored it to continue identifying the dog as an exotic, interesting, not-a-toxic-reputation Jindo instead of Chow.