A Slate writer is under fire after publishing an article about her decision to put down her "pandemic dog," which was physically perfectly healthy but had a nasty biting habit.

Madeline Bilis' piece, When Bonnie Came Home, details her experiences with a 6-year old beagle named Bonnie that she adopted during the pandemic. She tells about how over the course of several months, Bonnie bit her own paws, Bilis' boyfriend, a stranger, and Bilis herself, often drawing blood and causing trips to the hospital for those bitten. Bilis talks about her struggle to try and correct the behavior through trainers and anti-anxiety meds, and eventually her struggle to try and rehouse Bonnie. She discusses how shelters were unwilling to take in Bonnie because of her violent history, and her efforts to rehome Bonnie were met with silence. Trainers and animal shelter volunteers both suggested "behavioral euthanasia" for Bonnie.

i wrote about a heartbreaking decision that i wish i (and so many others) didn't have to make https://t.co/5NXuzMSORU

— Madeline Bilis (@madelinebilis) June 9, 2021

Bilis describes how she found online support groups for people who had gone through similar experiences and talks with doctors who have suggested behavioral euthanasia to clients. She also discusses the Facebook group Losing Lulu, founded in January 2019 by dog trainers Trish McMillan and Sue Alexander, which is a 10,000 member group for people who've chosen behavioral euthanasia.

Though the piece is a tough read about an incredibly difficult decision, it divided Twitter for the next several days, as users argued whether Bilis' decision was sadistic or justified. Many were extremely uncharitable to Bilis and the article; there was a lot of name-calling.

I fucking hate people like this. https://t.co/jwZ2iOZ9Sg

— Article V Convention of States please (@philthatremains) June 14, 2021

There are some scenarios in which behavioral euthanasia is necessary*…& this isn’t fucking one of them. What in the goddamn fuck possessed this bïtch to make the choices she made, re: both Bonnie & the deeply misguided decision to write this self-pitying sociopathic horseshit. https://t.co/HmKMbXtijU

— 🌬Doctrix “that mistress snow person” Snow (@MistressSnowPhD) June 14, 2021

Yikes @Slate didn’t know you had animal sadists on staff…

That fact this got greenlit means the business supports her horrid decisions. I will be campaigning against Slate media for the foreseeable future. https://t.co/P2YU6G5tY2

— Wes (@TruWesKhalifa) June 14, 2021

A great deal Twitter users believe Bilis was in the wrong here, proving why "behavioral euthanasia" is such a taboo topic. However, there has also been a cohort of users who believe she made the right call and have thanked her for the piece.

This person did nothing wrong. You aren't required to spend your life trying to rehabilitate a violent animal. https://t.co/1fuSYT5eU4

— Jazz♥️🥑🐵 (@jazzgrackle) June 14, 2021

This was eye-opening. At the outset, I thought surely something could have been done to transform her. But no, she wasn’t mentally healthy, she was suffering, she wasn’t having a good quality of life. Your decision was in her interests. Thanks for sharing.

— Karen 🇨🇦 (@klb8888) June 10, 2021