In 1992, the staff of the Danville Area Humane Society (DAHS) in Virginia were inundated with calls from people all over the world who wanted to adopt an animal from their shelter. Sound like a dream come true? Unfortunately, all these people were calling about just one animal: Smokey, the black Lab who made national headlines when he was sentenced to die after behaving viciously toward local mail carriers. This essay, by DAHS Executive Director Paulette Dean, appeared in the Danville Register shortly after the incident.

 Read the full essay.