Man Ties Puppy’s Muzzle Shut To Stop Barking, Then Brags About It

A man couldn’t stand to hear his girlfriend’s dog barking any longer, so he tied the puppy’s muzzle shut. Then, he posted a picture, bragging about it on social media. The backlash was intense, drawing the attention of authorities. But, it’s what they decided that’s perhaps the most shocking aspect of this story.

In Eugene, Oregon, Matt McMichael grew weary of his girlfriend Sheela Deskins’ dog, Hank, constantly barking. To put an end to the noise, McMichael resorted to using a plastic zip tie to hold the dog’s muzzle shut.

Believing there was nothing wrong with his actions, McMichael shared a photo of Hank, possibly a dachshund, with his muzzle tied shut. He captioned it, “When you’re tired of the (expletive) barking!!!” The image quickly went viral, sparking outrage from people who were angered by the sight.

As reported by Oregon Doglife, the image ended up on a Facebook page dedicated to animal rights, called Exposed. The page’s followers were furious, flooding authorities with emails and calls. According to Melinda McLaughlin, an Eugene spokesperson, they received nearly 50 emergency calls and 83 Facebook messages focused on the incident.

When McMichael saw the uproar over the photo, he or someone using his identity responded on Facebook. The person claimed it was a joke, saying, “The zip tie wasn’t even tight, everyone chill out.” Despite the continuous backlash, McMichael eventually deleted his account, but the damage had already been done.

With numerous people demanding action against both McMichael and Hank’s owner, a city animal welfare officer launched an investigation. They found out McMichael had moved to another county in southern Oregon, leading Eugene to pass the case to the Linn County Sheriff’s office.

Surprisingly, McMichael did not face any charges for his actions. KATU 2 reported that the Linn County Sheriff’s deputies looked into the case and determined that the puppy was not mistreated. Deputies concluded there was no crime, noting it was poor judgment on McMichael’s part. They found that the zip tie was loose enough not to harm the dog. The case was handed over to Linn County Animal Control for further follow-up, and deputies simply advised McMichael not to post such images in the future.

This decision left many people shocked. Animal lovers on the Exposed Facebook page, which witnessed a surge in followers after sharing the story, continued to express their anger. Some called for vigilante justice, threatening McMichael and even calling his workplace to have him fired. There were also calls for action against McMichael’s girlfriend, who owns Hank.

While images can tell a powerful story, they capture only a moment in time and can often be misleading. Did the authorities conduct a proper investigation? Many believe they did, ensuring the dog’s well-being before concluding that there was no mistreatment. Though McMichael’s decision to tie the dog’s muzzle is viewed by many as irresponsible, it’s essential to remember that overwhelming the sheriff’s office with phone calls and threatening individuals are not effective ways to seek change.

So, what’s your take? Did Matt McMichael get the consequences he deserved, or should people have left it alone once authorities decided the dog wasn’t harmed? While it’s easy to form strong opinions online, we rely on trained agencies to gather all the facts, ensuring justice isn’t determined by public outrage.