The first person to be executed by "electrocution" was in New York in 1890. Florida began using what became dubbed as "Old Sparky" in 1924. But, Pensacola decided in 1905 to use this method to eradicate homeless canines from the overcrowded city pound. Although morbid by today's standards, people as well as governments looked at things differently at the turn of the last century. As to the exact reason why our city fathers decided on this method of execution is unknown. Most of the time, stray dogs were shot since the use of lethal injection was still decades away. New York chose to put their unwanted dogs into cages and lower the cages into the East River and drown them. One area of the river in particular, was sadistically called the "canine bath tub." During an eight hour period in 1877 they used this method to dispose of 758 dogs. Thankfully, today's methods of lethal injection are certainly more humane!

Turn of the Century War on Dogs

Pensacola News Journal Article of 7-13-1905


Pensacola News Journal Article of 7-13-1905