Every dog parent understands that losing a furry companion is profoundly heartbreaking, and the bond shared between a dog and its human is incredibly strong and irreplaceable. The pain of that bond being severed is indescribable.
When one dog mom, Kristie, was faced with the decision to put down her beloved puppy Beau, she felt this heartache deeply. But she later discovered that the situation wasn’t as dire as she thought.
Kristie And Beau
Pereira adopted Beau, a charming hound-mix puppy from a Northern Virginia shelter, eager to embrace the joys of dog ownership. She devoted every day to playing and cuddling with him. However, after a few months, she noticed a shift in Beau’s behavior. Concerned, she took him to the vet, where she learned he might have neurological issues and was prescribed medication with a recommendation to visit the emergency room if his condition didn’t improve.
Unfortunately, Beau’s condition did not change for the better, leading Pereira to an ER in Montgomery County, Maryland, where she received heartbreaking news: Beau had significant health problems. The vets suggested costly and invasive tests, which, although available, offered little hope for improvement. They ultimately advised her to consider euthanasia.
After much deliberation, and weighed down by grief, Pereira chose to bring Beau to Montgomery County Animal Services for euthanasia. Unfortunately, as per policy, she couldn’t remain with him during the procedure, forcing her to bid farewell without knowing the true outcomes.
Shocking Discovery
After the euthanasia, Pereira shared her emotional burden, stating, “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. Like, none of it was easy,” as reported by Fox 32.
Subsequently, it was revealed that the form filled out for euthanasia included a clause indicating that the owner requested humane euthanasia but also stated that if Montgomery County determined the pet was adoptable, they could offer treatment and find it a new home.
Surprisingly, Beau was not euthanized. After examination, staff diagnosed him with a liver issue and treated him, sending him back to his original shelter instead of back to Pereira. Unaware of this, Pereira continued to grieve until she stumbled across a Facebook post advertising Beau for adoption.
Pereira was taken aback, caught in an emotional whirlwind, expressing, “An emotional rollercoaster, it’s [been], to say the least… He was like my little baby,” while discussing her experience with the news. Montgomery County Animal Services explained that they do not inform owners if a pet is not euthanized unless they express immediate regret about the decision. However, Pereira remembered the staff advising her to consider what felt right, leading to her heartbreaking choice.
Although the adoption agency empathized with Pereira’s feelings, they emphasized their firm policy against returning surrendered pets to their original owners, which ultimately dictated the fate of Beau.
