Couple: Vet faked dog's death to give pet away

[mojozen]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/04/29/faked.euthanasia.ap/index.html

Interesting story. Raises some questions for me...

Do you think vets have the right to decide who is a good pet owner or not? Especially if they only see the dog in question a few times out of the year?

Why didn't they demand to take the dog home for burial or cremation after her death?

Why did the former employee spill the beans?

 

[jess2416]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/04/29/faked.euthanasia.ap/index.html
Interesting story. Raises some questions for me...

Me too

Do you think vets have the right to decide who is a good pet owner or not? Especially if they only see the dog in question a few times out of the year?

In some cases yes

Why didn't they demand to take the dog home for burial or cremation after her death?

Maybe they were heart broken and didnt want to because it would hurt to much

Why did the former employee spill the beans?

Hopefully she was feeling guilty

 

[Renee750il]

We had a vet here in town who told one of his clients that the Ch. Bloodhound bitch he was treating was terminally ill and that he should let the vet put her down. The owner wasn't ready to accept that diagnosis and wanted to take her to UT for examination at the veterinary school. The vet hemmed and hawed and wanted to treat her for another week, then called the owner a few days later to tell him his dog had died. The owner demanded to reclaim the body for an autopsy. Later that afternoon the vet's office called back and said there'd been a mistake, his dog was fine and recovering. "Miraculous!"

Not like there were several Bloodhounds there

We all think the vet had a buyer for the Bloodhound. There aren't many of them around here, and this is one special dog.

 

[mojozen]

We had a vet here in town who told one of his clients that the Ch. Bloodhound bitch he was treating was terminally ill and that he should let the vet put her down. The owner wasn't ready to accept that diagnosis and wanted to take her to UT for examination at the veterinary school. The vet hemmed and hawed and wanted to treat her for another week, then called the owner a few days later to tell him his dog had died. The owner demanded to reclaim the body for an autopsy. Later that afternoon the vet's office called back and said there'd been a mistake, his dog was fine and recovering. "Miraculous!"

Not like there were several Bloodhounds there

We all think the vet had a buyer for the Bloodhound. There aren't many of them around here, and this is one special dog.

Renee,
I've heard of that happening at boarding kennels. I think there was a case in Chicago (?) of a boarding kennel, telling people that their dogs had "run away" while the dog owners were on vacation... and it turns out later that the dogs were actually sold to other people!!! They discovered this because it happened mroe than a few times...

I think i will always go for a 2nd opinion on something like you detailed above. I think there are too many greedy people out there, who see a nice dog and sort of check their morals at the door.

 

[Kenzie]

Similar story here in our small town. A couple of years ago it was found out the local Animal Control Officer had been picking up dogs whenever he saw one out loose, and telling the owners if they called him to ask if he'd seen their dog that their pet had been hit by a car and died and he'd been called to pick up a dead animal. He had been selling the dogs to research labs the whole time , telling the labs they'd never been claimed and were going to be pts. He was fired and charges filed.

Disgusting when those we trust with our most defenseless furbabies betray our trust!

 

[JennSLK]

Do you think vets have the right to decide who is a good pet owner or not? Some times

Especially if they only see the dog in question a few times out of the year? If it is an obvious case of neglet then yes

Why didn't they demand to take the dog home for burial or cremation after her death? Personal reasons. Maybe they couldnt deal with that

Why did the former employee spill the beans? Guilt or Pissed off at being let go. She was a FORMER employee and it didnt say why she left.

 

[dr2little]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/04/29/faked.euthanasia.ap/index.html

Interesting story. Raises some questions for me...

Do you think vets have the right to decide who is a good pet owner or not? Especially if they only see the dog in question a few times out of the year?

In certain circumstances, ABSOLUTELY!.
One example is that of a 16 month old German Pincher who was brought into the clinic to be PTS (killed) because the lady said she was aggressive. I was teaching a class at the time and the Vet. came and pulled me out of my class to talk to the lady in hopes of providing training options (which I would have waved the fee for). After questioning the lady, it was clear that her husband, who had never wanted the dog simply wanted it "gotten rid of". I asked the lady to sign the dog over to me (I would train and rehome her) and I even said we could draw up papers to protect her from any legal issues of any kind regarding the dog....all the while I was stroking this beautiful creature.
I finally left her to think about what I had said and went back to teaching my class, confident that I now had a new challenge (training and rehoming this gorgeous dog) and had helped this women leave with a clean conscience. I WAS WRONG. A few minutes later, the Vet appeared looking very upset and proceeded to prepare a needle....we looked at each other and she just shook her head and tried not to cry.
As the class progressed, 2 other staff members walked through the area that I hold my classes in trying to go about the rest of their day, but both had obviously been crying. When the class was over, I heard how the women flat out insisted that this was what her husband wanted her to do and she didn't want to get in trouble. The staff said this dog fought the drug, not physically but tried so hard not to "fall asleep". The staff held and stroked this dear creature, telling her how very sorry they were while she drew her last breath and finally gave in to what the owner she trusted decide her fate to be.

I only spent a few minutes with her but the impact on my heart and the feeling of complete helplessness will be with me forever.
The only reason that my Vet did the proceedure instead of turning her away was because she's been down this road enough times to know that if she had refused, some other Vet would have done it and most likely without the kindness that she and the staff tried so hard to show. The women sat in the room, void of emotion while the proceedure was carried out.
I can only hope that one day the human race wakes up and realizes that we do not own our dogs the same way we do other property. It is a privilege to have them share our lives and we all need to protect them.

 

[Renee750il]

Thanks for that insight, Doc. I think in some cases the more ethical you are the harder the decisions are. I don't think I would have handled that case very well . . . Poor creature. Probably made defensive by the owners' lacks.

I can only hope that one day the human race wakes up and realizes that we do not own our dogs the same way we do other property. It is a privilege to have them share our lives and we all need to protect them.

Very eloquent. This should be printed and framed and hung up in every veterinary office in a prominent place.

 

[bubbatd]

DR that's so sad !!!!

 

[Zoom]

There was another member on here who had a similar story. Her Rottie had been stung by a bee, she rushed him to the vet where he 'died'. A month later she finds out that another couple's Rottie had been brought in the same day and actually died, and her Rottie was given to them. She got her dog back, but the whole thing was rather surreal.

 

[soft pawz]

The only reason that my Vet did the proceedure instead of turning her away was because she's been down this road enough times to know that if she had refused, some other Vet would have done it and most likely without the kindness that she and the staff tried so hard to show.

just because somebody else might do it is not a good reason to do it. your vet should have turned her away!!!!!!!!!! how could she do that?
vets are supose to help animals not kill perfectly healthy ones.
now its her fault that dog died. she put the needle in, she killed it. and kindness???? there is no kindness in death!
if she would have turned her away maybe the women would have reconsidered. there should be a law against that anyway.....killing perfectly healthy animal is so wrong.
she made herself just as guilty of this dogs murder as the owner. some poeple really shouldnt be allowed to own dogs, those owners are for sure one of them.....

 

[dr2little]

painful but true..

just because somebody else might do it is not a good reason to do it. your vet should have turned her away!!!!!!!!!! how could she do that?

I know what you're saying but in my Vets defense and like I said in my post, she's seen this story play out time and time again...always with the same result. There are many times where she has given them my card for training and refused to put a dog to sleep. When they don't call me I always follow up and without exception, find that the dog was "killed" (usually within a hour of being turn away from our clinic)by the other Vet in our area who is know for his lack of compassion. This is something that I'm sure many Vets. go through. In many cases, their hands are tied. You must understand that while I am as my Vet would be, in total agreement with you, when an owner wants to distroy what they consider to be their property, they will get the job done....that's the whole point of my article.s I must also tell you that the Vet in my article has her back office kennels filled with dogs who she has successfully had owners sign over because she has refused to put them down. She and the other staff ready these dogs for new homes and most are successfully rehomed. These kennels were built to add revenue as boarding kennels and she rarely if ever has a dog in a "paying" kennel.

vets are supose to help animals not kill perfectly healthy ones.
now its her fault that dog died. she put the needle in, she killed it. and kindness???? there is no kindness in death!
if she would have turned her away maybe the women would have reconsidered. there should be a law against that anyway.....killing perfectly healthy animal is so wrong.
she made herself just as guilty of this dogs murder as the owner. some poeple really shouldnt be allowed to own dogs, those owners are for sure one of them.....

So sad that you missed the point. This Vet is the farthest from unkind or unethical. Years of experience and maturity forced this Vet to do what she did to ensure that this dogs last moments were not filled with terror. I can't imagine the weight her heart has to carry for many of the decisions she has to make. If you had been there, you would have had a different opion. This lady was not changing her mind

 

[PoodleMommy]

I really think there should be a law against this.

If you were willing to work with and rehome this dog, that vet should not have been forced to put the dog to sleep.

I think vets should have the ability to turn people down and gain "custody" of the animal in question.

ELissa

 

[dr2little]

I really think there should be a law against this.

If you were willing to work with and rehome this dog, that vet should not have been forced to put the dog to sleep.

I think vets should have the ability to turn people down and gain "custody" of the animal in question.

YES! That's exactly my point. The sad truth is that if you check your animal welfare laws, you'll find that Vets. have no control. Even bylaw officers have to "tread lightly" when investigating anyone regarding an animals welfare due to the ownership bulls**t! We live in Calgary..Canada and I know our laws are no worse than U.S but certainly no better either.

 

[Renee750il]

How about some laws parallelling those requiring hospitals and medical personnel to report suspected abuse to children . . . Perhaps allowing vets to take the animals into their custody under circumstances of an owner insisting on killing a healthy animal.

 

[dr2little]

How about some laws parallelling those requiring hospitals and medical personnel to report suspected abuse to children . . . Perhaps allowing vets to take the animals into their custody under circumstances of an owner insisting on killing a healthy animal.

That's exactly what we need. How can we still be a society that allows individuals to minimize the value of our pets welfare. I know we're headed in the right direction, but GAWWWD it's seem's to be such a slow journey. I was just at a private training session with a family who had 3 wee maltese mixes with some pretty minor issues. They said they had hired another trainer prior to calling me who brought along with him what he called "training collars"...tiny little CHOKE CHAINS. Long story short..they sent him packing before he even took off his shoes..PROGRESS

 

[Renee750il]

What was next if the chokes didn't achieve the desired results . . . tiny little prong collars? Teensy little muzzles?

 

[elegy]

just because somebody else might do it is not a good reason to do it. your vet should have turned her away!!!!!!!!!! how could she do that?
vets are supose to help animals not kill perfectly healthy ones.
now its her fault that dog died. she put the needle in, she killed it. and kindness???? there is no kindness in death!
if she would have turned her away maybe the women would have reconsidered. there should be a law against that anyway.....killing perfectly healthy animal is so wrong.
she made herself just as guilty of this dogs murder as the owner. some poeple really shouldnt be allowed to own dogs, those owners are for sure one of them.....

there are much worse things than a humane death.

perfectly healthy animals die every single day in this country in shelters after being dumped into a completely alien environment and stressed beyond belief. i'm far from agreeing with the owner's actions, but i see no fault with the vet's.

 

[dr2little]

there are much worse things than a humane death.

perfectly healthy animals die every single day in this country in shelters after being dumped into a completely alien environment and stressed beyond belief. i'm far from agreeing with the owner's actions, but i see no fault with the vet's.

Thanks for that. I was starting to feel bad for sharing this story. The last thing that this Vet. deserves is a negative response to something that I know made her rethink her desision to become a Vet. And YES, after reading the response by soft pawz (although I do understand the compassion and anger), I sat and pictured the alternative experience that this beautiful creature could have faced, and I agree with you there are worse things than a humane death. We all would have loved nothing better than to have had the right to save this dog.

 

[elegy]

it's a hard line to walk between the Right Thing and the best thing for that animal in that specific situation. the doctors i work for have told people no, they will not euthanize, but around here, many people will just take 'em out back and shoot 'em. much better for them to be euthanized by us, really. sometimes we're able to get people to sign pets over, but some people just won't. i'll never understand it.