Kristie Pereira said she’s tried to get Beau back after learning he was never euthanized but said the rescue organization she got him from has refused to rehome the dog with her.
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.
So she was stunned last week to find the dog up for adoption at the same pet rescue organization where she had gotten it.
…
Calls to the shelter confirmed that her dog had not been euthanized after veterinarians there didn’t think he needed to be. The shelter instead called Lost Dog & Cat Rescue and turned the puppy back over to them.
The rescue confirmed that Friday in a written statement, giving an extensive timeline showing that its veterinarians found no neurological issues with the dog. After tests diagnosing a liver problem and a $7,000 surgery — paid for through a GoFundMe campaign — the dog was declared healthy.
The rescue’s reason:
It’s a valid reason. If you surrender the dog because you don’t have the resources to take care of the dog, then that’s it - youve made a one time deal. Your ownership for the animals life.
She signed the animal away. She saved its life by surrendering it, but now she needs to move on with the knowledge that the dog will be safe and loved - the end result is no different for her. She no longer has the dog.
It’s not meant to be harsh. It’s the reality of rescue. The rescue has to protect itself and the animal. When she’s in a better place, she can adopt again - there are so many animals that need help.
Yeah but that’s not what happened here. Read the article.
I have read it now, thank you. I am at work and just made a quick assumption.
In most cases I would still stand by what I said above. There has been a few times a cat has come to us to be euthanized and we managed to pull them back from the brink of death and we’ve adopted them back out to other people after considering the animals welfare.
This sounds like a PR nightmare - and there are always exceptions to policies.
In this case - it would sound like she might have legal ground as she was coached by the rescue to put the dog down. I amend my opinion as stated above and side with her. I would fight my rescue if this happened where I volunteer.
I will leave my other comment as is for posterity.
Edit - formatting, clarification, and grammar
Not that I would have assumed this outcome, but it does sound like she signed the dog over to the shelter to be euthanized (for $15). My guess is her vet would charge more, but would have been with the dog when it was put down. So it DOES sound like she signed over the dog to the shelter.
Yes, to be euthanized. Because she was told by three different vets AND the shelter staff that euthanasia would be the best action. And then the shelter staff turned around, kept the dog, performed a liver surgery, and is now refusing to make it right to her.
Yeah. Hell I might be making some phone calls to a shelter VM when I get off work.
Encourage you all to do the same.
If the surgery hadn’t worked and the dog had suffered more, what a different story this would be. Owner makes painful decisions to euthanize animal that is suffering. Shelter says they’ll do it but she can’t watch. Decides not to do it and makes the rest of the dog’s brief life miserable.
now that you mention it - thats really fucking weird. Anytime I have had to euthanize one of my animals, ive always been allowed to be there with them.
It’s the 10th of Stan Rawlinson’s 10 Pet Commandments:
-Stay with me on the ultimate difficult journey. Never say, “I can’t bear to watch” or “Let it happen in my absence”. Everything is easier for me if you are there. Remember, regardless of what you do I will always love you.
What a strange, cruel policy from the vet. When I had to put my cat down, my vet had me hold her in my arms while she administered the shot, and then she left the room so it could be just me and my cat til the end. Since I decided to take her body home to bury on my parents’ property, my vet recommended that I show her to my remaining cat so that we could mourn together. She said he would understand what death meant if he got to see her, but he would be distressed more if she just disappeared.
What a hideous policy for everyone involved, shame on this vet/shelter for so many reasons.
Yeah, she did sign it - what I said applies. But other factors are being overlooked - this clearly isnt as black and white as the shelter seems to be making it.
Just as a comparison we recently had our cat euthanized (they were end of life and in pain) and it cost us ~200 CAD for the euthanasia and ~300 CAD for cremation. Vet services can be quite expensive and it’s extremely sad that people without disposable income wouldn’t be allowed to be with their pet through euthanasia.
I’m very sorry to hear about your cat. What was your cats name and can you tell me a fond memory of your cat?
Sorry, but I’m not ready to talk about them yet.
I’m assuming they do this to prevent people from abusing this as a way to get someone else to pay for veterinarian bills and then adopting the pet right back.