Wild dog avoids euthanasia, transported to behavioral specialist

KINSTON, N.C. (WNCT) — Duplin, a shelter dog at the Lenoir County SPCA, has been placed with a specialist after weeks of searching for a foster. With this placement, he avoided euthanization.

Otherwise known as “Jughead,” Duplin was captured on June 15 after a gravity feeder got stuck on his head. He lived as a wild dog up until that point having little to no contact with humans. Dr. Laddie Crisp Jr. had been feeding him up until his capture.

Duplin spent some time in the shelter and didn’t respond well. According to Rescue Coordinator Tiffinie Jarman, there were a few red flags in his behavior early on that they couldn’t ignore and he was later deemed unfit for adoption on July 2. Today, after being sedated, Duplin was transported to It Takes a Village Rescue NC to work with,” a certified canine behaviorist.”

Lenoir County SPCA said in a Facebook post that several people came to the shelter offering to adopt Duplin. Once told about his behavioral issues, those adopters were no longer interested.

The shelter thought they would have to make the decision to euthanize until today this weekend when the plans were made to transport Duplin. Jarman said that holding onto Duplin for so long, even though he had behavioral concerns, caused the Lenoir County SPCA to have to make decisions to euthanize other dogs. She hopes the adopters that offered to take Duplin will consider coming back to adopt other suitable dogs since the shelter is currently at capacity.

“If you did offer to take Duplin please still come here and take the dogs that got left behind. I know Duplin had a good story and a lot of people wanted to help him but these dogs should matter just as much,” said Jarman.

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