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A Healthy Dog Was Euthanized Because the Owner Wanted It Buried with Her

©Flickr,Russ Sanderlin

We all love our pets like family, but this story makes my blood boil. It reminds of when some billionaire leaves a ton of money to their cat or something.

I mean I know we all love our pets like family, but this is absurd.

And cruel.

A woman in Richmond, Virginia, had it clearly stated in her will that her beloved dog Emma, a Shih Tzu mix, was to be put to sleep and buried with her at the time of her death. Workers at the Chesterfield County Animal Services were heartbroken that they had to honor the recently deceased woman’s wishes, but they still euthanized the healthy dog. They actually tried to appeal to the woman’s estate, but to no avail. The dog’s owner was 67-year-old Anita Cullop-Thompson.

The manager of the animal care facility said, “We did suggest they could sign the dog over on numerous occasions — because it’s a dog we could easily find a home for and re-home. But ultimately, they came back in on March 22nd and redeemed the dog.”

Emma was taken directly to a vet’s office, euthanized, and then cremated. Her ashes were returned to the deceased woman’s estate. As you can imagine, this story went viral and greatly upset many people, including big-time celebrities.

The Humane Society of the United States is clear on where they stand on the issue. Vice President Amy Nichols said, “It is a heartbreaking situation. While we don’t know the specifics of this case, as a general matter, we don’t support the euthanasia of healthy and adoptable animals when other alternatives exist, such as re-homing of the pet.”

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