Dog owner’s fight for Cane Corso Sam heads to Oslo District Court amidst euthanasia debate

Police demanded that the dog Sam be euthanized following an attack on sheep last summer. Dog owner Santa Hmeļņicka appealed the decision but was not heard. The animal rights organization Noah, which now owns Sam, has sued the state, arguing that euthanasia should be a last resort according to the new dog law and that the police decision was based on outdated legislation.

The government’s lawyer argues that the decision is valid and that euthanasia is the appropriate action in this case. A court session is scheduled at Oslo District Court on Monday.

“I am very nervous yet excited,” said Hmeļņicka, who has had Sam in kennel custody for 15 months. The dog, a Cane Corso, reportedly attacked several sheep in Gudbrandsdalen, resulting in one sheep’s death and the emergency slaughter of six others. Despite her appeals, Hmeļņicka’s efforts to save her dog have not been heeded. “I miss him every day,” she remarked.

Noah contends that the attack stemmed from human error rather than the dog’s behavior. The organization believes that the case is crucial for the future treatment of similar incidents in Norway. Hmeļņicka has returned to her home country, Lithuania, after eight years in Norway and now faces the prospect of losing her dog, which she insists is a fight for all dogs in Norway in similar situations.

The new dog law, which took effect in January 2023, specifies that euthanasia should be the absolute last resort. The police maintain that the serious nature of the attack justifies their decision. As the trial approaches, the debate complicates the public’s understanding of responsibility and the legal framework governing pet ownership and animal welfare in Norway.