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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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A dog who was just days away from being euthanized due to her aggressive outbursts has been completely transformed, and now she has her whole life ahead of her.
In December 2024, Rose Mizak was rounding off the year by making as many memories as she could with her rescue dog Rue, who was found chained to a tree. Mizak wasn't excited about the new year because she had already made the devastating decision to go through with behavioral euthanasia for Rue.
For many months, Mizak, 25, struggled to control Rue's aggressive behavior. She would be sleeping soundly before waking suddenly and "attacking" her owners. Mizak told Newsweek that the episodes became more frequent and it was "as bad as eight times a night."
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Rue was diagnosed with rapid eye movement (REM) disorder, causing violent motions and odd behaviors during sleep. It can cause howling, barking, growling and biting while asleep, and PetMD suggests that most dogs don't recover from the disorder.
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"Many vets suggested euthanasia due to her being a risk to herself, humans, and other animals," Mizak said.
Mizak previously spoke to Newsweek about the bucket list of activities she set up for Rue before going through with behavioral euthanasia on January 4, 2025.
Behavioral euthanasia is the decision to humanely end a dog's life due to severe behavioral issues. It's not about naughtiness or being a nuisance, but rather, aggressive behavior that makes a dog unsafe for life.
Mizak continued: "We continued to do her end of life stuffies, and I also planned a trip to Pensacola, Florida. I always wanted her to see the beach, and I knew that with her euthanasia date set, I needed to go on that trip."
What Mizak never could have imagined was just how transformative that trip would be.
She made the 16-hour journey to Florida with her three dogs, and to her surprise, Rue was like a completely different dog. They spent four days by the beach and Rue didn't have a single episode.
Mizak isn't certain what exactly caused such a change in Rue, but whatever it was, it gave her hope.
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She said: "While I'm not exactly sure what helped Rue, on the way home from the beach I canceled her euthanasia. How can I put a 3-year-old dog down who has just shown me she can be better?
"I think the space of the duplex we stayed in allowed her to separate herself instead of being confined to one room, like my studio at the time offered."
When they returned home, Rue suffered a few more episodes. Mizak came to realize that moving to somewhere with more space was "a top priority."
She has now moved to Oakdale, Pennsylvania, and lives on a rental property with approximately 20 acres of land. She takes the dogs on three walks a day, and they have plenty of space to roam around.
Mizak is also more intentional about avoiding any of Rue's triggers, such as energetic dogs and busy public events. She has also stopped giving Rue any medication, instead opting for natural supplements.
Rue sleeps in the bed beside Mizak (along with her two other dogs, Bear and Jack), which she thinks is a good way for Rue to "feel protected."
Mizak told Newsweek: "It dawned on me that behavioral euthanasia may not be required when I noticed that we went two months with about three episodes. They used to happen every night, so the difference was overwhelming."
Rue was just days away from her euthanasia date, and Mizak had accepted that the rescue dog may "never be at peace" while alive.
But that trip to the beach was, quite literally, lifechanging. Rue is doing incredibly well and she's "like a totally different dog." She loves fuss, playing with her siblings, and she can dream soundly without having episodes.
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Mizak has ruled out behavioral euthanasia completely and looks forward to spending many years together. She has documented the experience on TikTok (@bear_the_brittany_beagle) and hopes to educate others about the realities of behavioral euthanasia.
"A dog I was scared to be around is now a dog that can be cuddly and lay on the couch," Mizak said. "It's amazing to see how at peace she is with the life she has now. Last year was awful, just watching her fight the battles she was having in her head.
"I cried so many tears while trying to find a fix. Euthanasia was not something I wanted to do, but if she was suffering, I knew it was right. Looking back and seeing how far she has come will always be one of the biggest blessings."
Several vets and specialists said that euthanasia was the only option for Rue, and yet, she has defied the odds.
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Not all owners are as fortunate as Mizak, and many do have to go through with behavioral euthanasia. It's never an easy decision, and there are still certain instances where Mizak believes it's right to end the dog's suffering.
She said: "I feel sorry for those dogs who can't be saved, but I fully support that decision. Sometimes there's a genetic problem that, no matter how much training, how much you love them, or how much exposure they get, it will never be enough."
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