Woman shocked to see dog adopted after choosing to euthanize it

• Distraught by her puppy’s poor health, Kristie Pereira made the decision to euthanize him. A year later, she was shocked to see the dog was alive and ready for adoption.
• In an interview with the Associated Press, Pereira claimed she had put the dog down for euthanasia because of its neurological dysfunction, but rescuers diagnosed and treated the dog’s liver problems.
• Both Pereira Rescue and Euthanasia Services blamed him for failing to confirm the dog’s neurological condition with veterinary tests, which he was told were unlikely to work.

Kristie Pereira says she had few options when her puppy Beau’s neurological condition grew beyond a reasonably treatable stage.

After months of hoping that her dog would recover, Pereira says she followed veterinarians’ suggestions and brought Beau in for euthanasia.

A little over a year later, the heartbroken pet owner learned that her sick companion had never been put to sleep. Pereira spoke to the Associated Press about her shock at seeing Beau up for adoption again at the same rescue where she initially found him, especially considering the medical journey the dog endured in her care.

Pereira — who currently lives in San Antonio — was working from her home in Maryland when she picked up the mixed-breed dog from local rescue group Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation.

Beau was 2 months old when Pereira adopted him in 2022; As they bonded, the new mom dog became more and more concerned about her pet’s health.

She told the Associated Press that her veterinarian believed Beau was suffering from a neurological dysfunction given his lack of intestinal control and dexterity in his back legs. The vet also questioned the dog’s liver, but Pereira saw no improvement with the prescribed liver enzymes.

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The medical tests cost $12,000, but Pereira said she would have paid it if there had been a chance of saving her puppy.

Canine medical staff said there was only “a very small chance” of diagnosing the problem, Pereira recalled. And if veterinarians were able to discover it, there would be “even less chance” that it would be treatable.

Pereira wasn’t ready to consider euthanasia when her veterinarian initially suggested it as a humane alternative. The digital marketing professional decided to wait a month, during which time she said she consulted with staff at Lost Dog & Cat Rescue.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Pereira explained that she actually began to accept that euthanasia might be the right solution after consulting with people in the pet adoption group.

“They’ve really given me that support and encouragement, even though it’s hard, sometimes it’s the best thing to do,” she told the outlet.

In March 2023, less than a year after adopting Beau, Pereira took Beau to Montgomery County Animal Services in Derwood, Maryland. She paid $15 to have him euthanized, but was told the shelter’s policy prevented her from staying with her dog during the procedure.

While visiting her mother in Maryland last May, Pereira spotted her dog’s photo on the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue website. She recognized his markings and he was listed under the same name he had before Pereira adopted him and named him Beau.

According to the Associated Press, calls to the shelter confirmed that veterinarians had determined the dog did not need to be euthanized. Instead, Montgomery County Animal Services referred him to Lost Dog & Cat Rescue.

The rescue released a statement on its website saying veterinarians were unable to find any neurological problems in the dog. In the written statement, the local Maryland organization detailed a timeline showing he was diagnosed with a liver problem and underwent $7,000 surgery, funded through a GoFundMe campaign.

Pereira said she was completely unaware of her dog’s treatment. When she contacted him after seeing his availability for adoption, she said they did not return her calls.

A few days later, Pereira received a call back from someone she described as “rude” and “disrespectful” during their interaction.

“I’m just saying, you know, I gave up on him and let him die. That I never cared about him,” Pereira recalls. She said she was also warned that her former pet “would never come back to you.”

In a written statement to The Associated Press, the rescue organization’s spokesperson defended the decision not to return the dog.

As of Tuesday, he is still available for adoption on the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue website.

“LDCRF does not rehome a dog surrendered by its owner with its former adopter/owner,” said Chloe Floyd, representative of Lost Dog & Cat Rescue. “Our mission is to save dogs that are adoptable and safe for the community from euthanasia. »

Caroline Hairfield, executive director of Montgomery County Animal Services, said that while her staff sympathizes with Pereira’s situation, the rescue will determine whether or not it finds the dog.

“It’s a civil matter between the two of them,” she told The Associated Press. “It’s been a year since we last had the animal in our care. »