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Putting a pet to sleep is one of the most difficult decisions a person can make, but sometimes euthanasia is the humane choice for sick animals with no other options.
A Maryland woman brought her dog to be euthanized after a recommendation by her vet — but was stunned to find him up for adoption a year later, after assuming he was dead.
Kristie Pereira adopted her puppy Beau in 2022, but just two months in the puppy started showing signs of a neurological condition, according to FOX 5 DC.
When the pup’s health didn’t improve, she took her vet’s advice and went to the ER, where doctors informed her that Beau likely had a serious health problem.
Since further tests were very expensive and Beau’s quality of life was likely to decline, the vets told her to consider euthanasia.
Kristie loved her puppy, but following the vets’ advice and believing it was the humane thing to do, she took Beau to the Montgomery County Animal Services to say goodbye.
“I don’t think that someone that just wanted to get rid of the dog would feel anywhere close to how I’m feeling about this and how I have felt about it,” Kristie told FOX 5. “Like, none of it was easy.”
She says animal services understood and told her to make the decision she thinks is best. Due to policy, Kristie wasn’t allowed in the room when Beau was euthanized, but was led to assume her ill dog had been put down.
But this month, a year after Beau’s apparent euthanasia, Kristie was shocked to see Beau alive and up for adoption. She noticed him on a Facebook adoption page, the same one she first adopted the pup from.
It turned out that after Kristie surrendered Beau, Montgomery County Animal Services determined that his health conditions were actually treatable. He reportedly underwent surgeries for a liver issue.
Eventually, Beau was back on his feet and put up for adoption — unbeknownst to Kristie, who was never contacted still believed her puppy was dead.
Kristie, who has been grieving her dog since last year, said it was an “emotional rollercoaster,” saying she was both excited to see him alive and confused and frustrated by the circumstances.
In a statement to FOX 5, Montgomery County Animal Services says that this is in accordance with a policy pet owners agree to when they bring in pets for euthanasia. They say they don’t reach out to owners who surrender their pets, unless they call back expressing regret.
Of course, it makes sense to have a policy of not euthanizing potentially treatable pets — some owners bring in pets just to get rid of them, and it’s better to give them a second chance at life.
But in this case, Kristie loved her pup and was clearly led to believe she had no other option because Beau’s health was only going to get worse — it seems unethical to not give her notice that her dog was still alive.
Kristie is demanding answers, but Montgomery County Animal Services say they are sticking with policy. It isn’t clear if Kristie will be able to reunite with Beau, but the organization says it’s not their policy to return dogs to owners who have surrendered them, despite the circumstances.
What a confusing and heartbreaking situation this must be — we hope there is more to this story and that Kristie will be able to reunite with her beloved dog that she thought was gone.
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