Massachusetts woman fights to save dog's life after town voted to euthanize 3 years ago

A three-year battle over a dog's life is now shifting to a Massachusetts courtroom. The town of Millis believes Bentley, a Cane Corso, needs to be put down after he bit someone.

For more than 1,000 days, Rebecca Martin has woken up with this thought on her mind, "Is today the day my dog dies?" Her dog has been on death row ever since the dog bite incident three years ago.

"Constantly, every day not knowing if he was going to live, or not what am I going to do," said Martin.

Bentley has been destined to be euthanized ever since the incident. The Cane Corso was unleashed in the front yard as Martin approached the neighbor, and he bit the woman.

"I was going to go say hi to her, and it was just a bad mistake," said Martin.

"She was bit on both arms; that's a significant bite. She had what she described as a slight fracture, but it didn't need surgery," said Martin's Lawyer Jeremy Cohen.

The case went before the Millis town select board with the town voting to euthanize the animal, despite Martin's lawyer saying the victim doesn't want the dog to be put down. "She has testified, even previously at a hearing, that she doesn't want anything bad to happen to the dog," said Cohen. 

Martin has taken recommended safety measures after the bite, and the dog has been living with her incident free ever since.

After numerous appeals, his case is now in court. A judge heard from a trainer who just evaluated Bentley the day before. He agreed to work with the family, saying he already noticed proper care and behavior during his time with the animal.

The judge also heard from the victim's mother, who walked by Bentley's home last year and got a scare. "I observed Bentley to be growling, barking, banging up against the window with his paws," said Sharon Lee Jackson.

When the town select board made the decision to euthanize, Millis Animal Control Officer Erin Mallette told them her recommendation was for a statute of six corrective measures such as a muzzle and restraints. At the time she did not recommend euthanasia but told the board it was an option.

In court, that changed. She told the judge she believed the dog should be put down following veterinary recommendations she had received. Cohen quizzed her in court, asking her if the dog had any reports of escaping or biting anyone since the incident three years prior. She said no, which prompted Cohen to ask why she was changing her recommendation. Mallette testified that she did not evaluate the dog the day of the bite and has not been with the dog since.

The case is still ongoing.