Every dog owner knows how devastating it is to lose a furry companion.
The connection between a dog and their human runs deep, and when that bond is broken, the grief is overwhelming.
One heartbroken pet mom experienced this firsthand when she believed her dog had been euthanized. But later, she discovered that wasn’t actually the case.
Kristie And Her Pup, Beau
When Kristie Pereira adopted Beau, a sweet hound mix, from a Northern Virginia shelter, she was thrilled to start her life as a proud dog mom.
She cherished every day spent with him, filled with playtime and cozy snuggles.
But after a few months, she began noticing changes in Beau’s behavior.
Concerned, Pereira brought him to the vet, where she was told he might have neurological problems. The vet gave him medication and advised her to visit an emergency clinic if there was no improvement.
Sadly, Beau didn’t get better. Pereira took him to an emergency vet in Montgomery County, Maryland, where she was again informed that Beau had serious medical concerns.
She was told that although some costly and invasive tests could be done, they likely wouldn’t help his condition. The recommendation was to consider euthanasia.
After a difficult decision, Pereira brought Beau to Montgomery County Animal Services to have him put to sleep.
An Unexpected Turn Of Events
Because the shelter’s policy doesn’t allow owners to stay in the room during euthanasia, Pereira said goodbye and handed her dog over to the vet.
“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,” Pereira told Fox 32.
Fox 32 reviewed the form that pet owners must sign when requesting euthanasia, which includes a bold section confirming the owner’s request for humane euthanasia.
However, the document also states that if the facility finds the animal treatable and adoptable, it reserves the right to care for the pet and place it up for adoption.
That’s exactly what happened to Beau.
A full medical review revealed Beau was dealing with a liver condition. He was treated and, rather than being returned to Pereira, was sent back to his original shelter in Northern Virginia.
Pereira, unaware of any of this, was still grieving. Then, one day, she stumbled across a Facebook post showing a puppy available for adoption: Beau.
She was stunned.
“An emotional rollercoaster, it’s [been], to say the least… He was like my little baby,” the confused owner told the news channel.
Montgomery County Animal Services told Fox 32 that if the dog is not euthanized, they typically do not contact the former owner unless the owner reaches out to express immediate regret.
But Pereira recalled that she was told if the vet confirmed a serious condition and recommended euthanasia, she should go with whatever decision she felt most comfortable making.
The adoption group acknowledged how difficult this must be for Pereira. Still, they explained that their policy prevents them from returning surrendered dogs to previous owners, which applied in this case.