Missing Senior Pet Euthanized Without Permission of Owner
Published November 14, 2011
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A senior dog who had gone missing was euthanized by a local animal hospital without the permission of the owner. Note: This is not Basie, the dog featured in the story.
A missing senior dog who turned up in a local animal hospital has been euthanized without the permission of the dog's owners.
According to Tampa Bay-based 10 News WTSP.com, 17-year-old Basie, a dog who belonged to Allen Holmes and his wife Alison, went missing from their yard on November 1. The dog, who the Holmes' believed couldn't leave the yard due to the fact that she was old and moved relatively slow, left without a collar that had been removed since it seemed to be bothering her.
After frantically searching the neighborhood the same day, the Holmes' visited the local animal shelter to see if Basie had been picked up. At the shelter, they found that the senior pet had already been euthanized and cremated without their permission. She had been put to sleep only a few hours after she had gone missing.
Basie had been picked up by a client of the animal hospital after she had been found roaming the woods. Veterinarians who examined Basie determined (after seeing she had a variety of health conditions) that it was in Basie's best interest to be euthanized.
Naturally, the Holmes family is devastated that they could not be with their family member in her last moments. They felt that she was not quite ready to leave them yet.
What are your thoughts on this story? How would you react if you found yourself in a similar situation? Share your thoughts in a comment!
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Comments (28)
Nancy...if you have "yet to come in contact with one competent employee at any city shelter", then you need to get out more. I have found many shelter employees that were dedicated, outstanding workers who give their all to help the pets that irresponsible people dump on them. When was the last time YOU volunteered to work at a shelter? Or are you one of those people who "just doesn't have time" or "I just can't be around that sadness". I work at an oustanding CITY shelter where not one single employee doesn't bleed for the welfare of the animals; where the employees take money from their own pockets to help a particular dog or cat; where the employees foster animals that would otherwise be euthanized; where the employees work diligently to find adopt out as many as is possible. It's really easy to be an armchair quarterback, but when is the last time YOU threw the ball Nancy? Just sayin'
I would euthanize the people who murdered my dog, because it is in my best interest to see them unable to murder again.
No dog, not even an unwanted stray dog, should be euthanized within hours of arrival at a shelter, unless it has been so injured or ill that kindness dictates instant euthanasia. All animals should be given a minimum grace period to be found by owners or adopted. Just wrong!!!
Outraged! Absolutely unnecessary. First, is there no HOLD policy at this facility? Every staff or volunteer involved with this case should be fired! I hope the owners sue the shelter. Absolutely no excuse for this!
This is horrible, absolutely horrible. The people at the shelter and the vet should have known that the dog was not a stray by its behavior. Truly abandoned dogs are often times emaciated and they always have this wild look in their eyes, their hair is often matted and generally they look like they have not been cared for. Domesticated, loved and cared for dogs do not look the same. The dog may certainly been scared but any vet of any caliber should be able to tell the difference in a wild animal and a scared lost domesticated one. If the dog was sick, they still could have waited for the owner to find it. This story really upset me and my sincere condolences to the owner.
Wow Unbelievable!!!!!I would sue them for everything they have if someone ever did that to my furbaby!!!!Who the hell do they think they are making that decision and only hours after being brought in nothing like trying to find the owners!!My heart goes out to the family for their loss:(R.I.P Basie Run Free over the Rainbow Bridge where there is no more pain:(
I have a 9 year old Belgian Shepherd from rescue and if any one took it upon themselves to destroy her, I would destroy them. She has a chip and can always be identified. There was no excuse to put her down. Some people don't have a clue as to what to do. Don't be in such a hurry.