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A heartbroken woman spent a year grieving the puppy she had taken to be euthanized, only to make the stunning discovery that her beloved furry friend was alive and well in an adoption listing.
Just last year, Kristie Pereira embraced her new “dog mom” life, sharing adorable little videos of her hound-mix puppy, Beau, on social media and cherishing every moment she could with her little rescue, adopted from a shelter in Northern Virginia, USA.
Highlights
- A woman discovered her dog was alive in an adoption listing a year after believing she had him euthanized.
- The veterinarian advised euthanasia for the dog due to presumed incurable health issues.
- Despite the euthanasia request, Montgomery County Animal Services chose not to euthanize and listed the dog for adoption.
Originally named Amus, the four-legged friend was adopted by Kristie in December 2022. But after a few months, the digital marketing generalist observed Beau’s behavior changing.
Kristie reportedly took him to a veterinarian who said that he may have a neurological condition, prescribed some meds, and said to go to the emergency room (ER) in a bit if he didn’t improve, Fox 32 reported on Wednesday (May 22).
Kristie Pereira grieved the loss of her adopted dog Beau, whom she had taken to be euthanized
Image credits: FOX 5 Washington DC
Image credits: FOX 5 Washington DC
Upon noticing that Beau’s condition didn’t improve, the distressed dog mom took him to an ER doctor in Montgomery County, Maryland, who reportedly agreed with the initial vet’s assessment that there may be some major health problem with the small pooch.
The vets went on to indicate that expensive and invasive tests were available but that they weren’t likely to better poor little Beau’s state and that Kristie should, therefore, consider euthanasia.
Eventually, Kristie, with a letter in hand from a vet saying Beau’s quality of life was not good, made what she called the difficult decision to take him to the Montgomery County Animal Services to put Beau down, Fox 32 reported.
But Kristie made the shocking discovery that Beau was alive and well in an adoption listing
Image credits: FOX 5 Washington DC
The animal services’ policy reportedly forbids owners from being present in the room during the euthanasia procedure.
“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,” Kristie told Fox 32.
A form that pet owners have to fill out when they bring a dog in for euthanasia in Montgomery County was obtained by Fox 32 and showed a box in bold on the document that indicates the pet owner is requesting humane euthanasia.
Image credits: kristiepereira_
However, the section also states that if Montgomery County acknowledges the pet is treatable and adoptable, they can treat and have the pet adopted.
That’s exactly what happened with Beau, who, upon evaluation, wasn’t euthanized and was instead diagnosed with a liver issue.
Instead of returning the pup to his adopted owner, the veterinary office sent Beau back to his dog shelter of origin.
Kristie said she was advised by the vet to put Beau down after his health dramatically declined
Image credits: kristiepereira_
This whole time, Kristie thought that she had put her dog down and never got a call from the county or adoption organization about what was going on, Fox 32 reported.
Montgomery County Animal Services told the broadcaster that they typically don’t call the owner of a surrendered pet if a decision was made not to euthanize the animal unless the owner calls back and expresses immediate regret.
Months passed until last weekend when Kristie stumbled on the Facebook page of the group she adopted Beau from and saw her furbaby put up for adoption again.
Image credits: kristiepereira_
The adoption organization told Fox 32 that they told Kristie when she was making the decision to euthanize him that she could return Beau to them, particularly if she was going to put him down in an environment where she wouldn’t be near the dog during the process.
Montgomery County Animal Services reportedly does not allow pet owners to be with their dogs during the euthanasia procedure.
Kristie said her recollection of that conversation was them telling her if her vets said there was a major health issue and recommended euthanasia be considered, she should make the choice she felt comfortable with.
The vet later found that Beau could be saved, and instead of proceeding with euthanasia, they handed the dog back over to the shelter he came from
Image credits: kristiepereira_
“An emotional rollercoaster, it’s [been], to say the least,” the disappointed woman told the news channel.
She admitted that she was still not over the grief she suffered last year and was confused yet excited that Beau was still alive.
“He was like my little baby,” Kristie said as she revealed being upset and frustrated over the fact that nobody had called her back.
@kristiepereira_ Professional napper checking in! #fyp #dogsofttiktok #dogmomlife #beauboy #dogmom #naptime ♬ original sound – Lorena Pages
The adoption organization told Fox 32 that while they understand how difficult this situation has been for Kristie, it’s their policy not to return surrendered dogs to their former owners, and they have indicated they’re sticking with that policy in this situation.
Bored Panda has contacted Kristie for comment.
Kristie’s story left readers divided
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What do you think ?
CanadianDimes 6 months ago
All the people saying this is on her missed that the ER vet (to whom she'd been advised to take the dog if he didn't improve) said the treatments were expensive *and they wouldn't improve his quality of life* AND advised her to consider euthanasia. Not that she couldn't afford the treatment or that she 'gave up' on him. She trusted a medical professional's assessment and recommendations and found out second-hand they'd reassessed. This isn't a case of her abandoning her dog or not being bothered to treat him. She should absolutely have been informed.
Sue User 6 months ago
Spot on. She did what she thought was best based on the recommondation of two doctors, both who misdiagnosed. All those saying " i would never give up on my pet" are the reason you will see a blind, arthritic animal , obviously suffering, staggering around their home.
Load More Replies...
~nope~ 6 months ago
I don’t even understand why people say she doesn’t deserve her dog back??? No one informed her that euthanasia wasn’t carried out, how was she supposed to know??? She made the decision based on misinformation 😭
Robert T 6 months ago
I can only go from what is written here from her perspective. She was told that the dog had a condition and was suffering. She was told the tests were invasive and would cause more suffering. She was told the tests would most likely not change anything. She was told the best course of action was to have the dog put down. She even got a second opinion. And then the people she entrusted to put the dog down on medical advice didn't. She did this because she cared about the dog and didn't want to see it suffer. I was half expecting to find the dog had been sold after supposedly being put down. So either she is being economical with the truth, or something odd is going on at the vets.
Load More Replies...
Gabriele Alfredo Pini 6 months ago
The mechanic told me that my auto, that I love and cherished for years, is too damaged to be salvaged. The demolisher read what the mechanic said, made me pay for the demolition and then re-sold my car...
Shelli Aderman 6 months ago
Each time we have had to have our fluff nuggets euthanized, it was at their vet’s office, and I was there! I cannot imagine them going through that without me!
Alexandra 6 months ago
The vet's office??? My vet euthanizes dogs at the owner's home, where the dog is most comfortable and surrounded by his humans.
Load More Replies...
Delenn 6 months ago (edited)
WAIT? Forbidden to be with them in their last moments? That is absolutely barbaric. That rule of the animal services should be illegal. Those who are in a place where this does not happen, please if you have to put down your pet do not let them be alone, be with them until the end. They have been giving you love, they deserve the same in their last moments.
Raven Hayden Rudnik 6 months ago
They told her that treating the dog will not help, then just decided it will but wont tell her. She is in the wrong for not going to other places to get their opinions, but well you cant really know that you chosen the corrupted ones. Makes you wonder how many people were scammed by the Parties involved. You pay for euthanasia, then someone pays to adopt a dog. Goes to the vet. Pays. Vet recommend euthanasia. Dog is adopted again.
Panda Bear 6 months ago
She should get her dog back. She seems to really love him and didn’t jump to putting him down until she had a third opinion.
Sami-Jo Ross 6 months ago
What kind of shelter doesn't let the owners comfort their furbabies one last time in the room? They basically stole her dog and she was none the wiser until she saw him up for adoption.
Jessica SpeLangm 6 months ago
Something is WAY off with this story. I can't place my concern, but this just sounds too convoluted and made up to be real. Someone lied somewhere.
Xayvion 6 months ago
The veterinarian informed the owner that the dog’s condition was both untreatable and that the dog’s quality of life was no longer viable. The vet advised that the dog be euthanized. Any caring and loving pet owner would do what is best for their pet, regardless of how difficult that decision may be. To prohibit the owner from being present during this process and to fail to contact the owner upon discovering that the information and advice provided by medical professionals were incorrect is unacceptable. The original owner should not only be contacted in such situations but it should be required by law. The comments on this matter reveal a concerning level of ignorance. I hope the owner takes legal action, successfully retrieves her dog, and is compensated for the emotional distress she has endured.
Maisey Myles 6 months ago
I would definitely be contacting a lawyer.or a consumer activist to look into the TWO vets that couldn’t diagnose a liver issue. The county shelter also needs to answer some questions. If they found the dog was treatable they absolutely should have informed the owner. She signed a document -which was basically a contract- and the county breached that. The emotional roller coaster this woman has been riding breaks my heart. She deserves a dog back
Elizabeth E 6 months ago
People threatening vets with legal action when they have no knowledge of what actually happened is one reason there is a vet recruitment/retention crisis. Do you know how many differentials there are for liver disease in dogs? My suspicion from how skinny the dog looks is he has a liver shunt - sometimes that can be managed with diet and lifelong medication, sometimes it needs dangerous and invasive surgery to close the shunt.
Load More Replies...
Bobbi Lichtenfels Hughes Duncan 6 months ago
Since the policy is to not allow the pet parent to be present, I have to wonder how many times this has happened and how much money they made from literally stealing/reselling pets!!!
sturmwesen 6 months ago (edited)
Never heard that it was forbidden to be in the room with your euthanasized dog. Here I am not even asked if I want to "skip", because it's normal to be there.(edit: I even got asked if they should wake Strolch up, when the OP didn't work. Just so I could say goodbye. We didn't, but they offered).While I get adopting out for treatable dogs or dogs that are just not wanted anymore it kinda sounds like business model when you put both rules together.
_-DungeonKeeper-_ 5 months ago
The people who said that she gave him didn't read the whole story. Treatments would be expensive and not improve the quality of life (as stated by the current top comment) and she did NOT give up on him. She did the humane choice instead of letting the dog suffer; something you'd also choose if it was ever a choice you'd have to make. She needed to be informed. I'd be I credibly upset if MY DOG who I didn't want to suffer was put up for adoption instead of being returned to me if they didn't have to euthanize him.
I Need More Espresso 6 months ago
I think information has been selectively provid... why was the dog taken to a shelter to be euthanized instead of at either vet office? Usually if a clinic advises euthanasia they also perform it. Next, it sounds like the shelter sent the pup to a clinic for assessment, the pup was assessed and returned to the shelter- that's pretty standard- the shelter is listed on the file as the legal owner. The article said expensive and invasive tests would be needed and wouldn't necessarily improve the dog's quality of life. I think there is information missing. For example, a portal vein shunt can cause signs of liver disease and neurologic signs in puppies. Testing can be expensive as most clinics need to send out the test and referral for diagnostic imaging may be recommended- and testing will not improve quality of life IF corrective surgery is not performed because the problem is found, not corrected. If the owner cannot afford surgery, euthanasia is recommended to save animal suffering.
R F. 6 months ago
BS!! This lady “rescued” a dog for the views. THEN the dog got sick and she got all of those “sick pet” views and then grabbed those even better ”gotta put down my dog” views. The agency saved the dog and now she’s figured out a way to get those wonderful “they did me wrong” views. ALL of it manufactured and put on display only for views. She never truly cared about the dog, only the clout.
CF 6 months ago
Stop ppl. She dropped the dog off at the pound, that is the most important info here. Instead of being a human being and making the decision to be with her "beloved pet" during euthanasia and have it done with her regular vet or at the ER vet, she cheaped out and dropped the dog off at the f-ing POUND to let the fates decide or to have it done free. That is exactly what my sorry a*s brother did with two of his dogs, despite having a vet for a sister! (1000 miles away tho). As far as the regular vet or ER vet, they don't have a crystal ball and if you don't do the expensive tests you don't get the definitive answer. So so so many times ppl tell me stories of being at the vet and I'm thinking that so did not happen that way. You misinterpreted something or forgot about the fact that you declined the diagnostics and left the vet to make the best guess they could.
Sue User 6 months ago
Oh yeah. I am torn up about two doctors telling me my dog is so sick, best to euthanise him. So my first course of action is to call? " Hi, just following up to see if you killed my dog yet". Wow.
Load More Replies... CanadianDimes 6 months ago
All the people saying this is on her missed that the ER vet (to whom she'd been advised to take the dog if he didn't improve) said the treatments were expensive *and they wouldn't improve his quality of life* AND advised her to consider euthanasia. Not that she couldn't afford the treatment or that she 'gave up' on him. She trusted a medical professional's assessment and recommendations and found out second-hand they'd reassessed. This isn't a case of her abandoning her dog or not being bothered to treat him. She should absolutely have been informed.
Sue User 6 months ago
Spot on. She did what she thought was best based on the recommondation of two doctors, both who misdiagnosed. All those saying " i would never give up on my pet" are the reason you will see a blind, arthritic animal , obviously suffering, staggering around their home.
Load More Replies... ~nope~ 6 months ago
I don’t even understand why people say she doesn’t deserve her dog back??? No one informed her that euthanasia wasn’t carried out, how was she supposed to know??? She made the decision based on misinformation 😭
Robert T 6 months ago
I can only go from what is written here from her perspective. She was told that the dog had a condition and was suffering. She was told the tests were invasive and would cause more suffering. She was told the tests would most likely not change anything. She was told the best course of action was to have the dog put down. She even got a second opinion. And then the people she entrusted to put the dog down on medical advice didn't. She did this because she cared about the dog and didn't want to see it suffer. I was half expecting to find the dog had been sold after supposedly being put down. So either she is being economical with the truth, or something odd is going on at the vets.
Load More Replies... Gabriele Alfredo Pini 6 months ago
The mechanic told me that my auto, that I love and cherished for years, is too damaged to be salvaged. The demolisher read what the mechanic said, made me pay for the demolition and then re-sold my car...
Shelli Aderman 6 months ago
Each time we have had to have our fluff nuggets euthanized, it was at their vet’s office, and I was there! I cannot imagine them going through that without me!
Alexandra 6 months ago
The vet's office??? My vet euthanizes dogs at the owner's home, where the dog is most comfortable and surrounded by his humans.
Load More Replies... Delenn 6 months ago (edited)
WAIT? Forbidden to be with them in their last moments? That is absolutely barbaric. That rule of the animal services should be illegal. Those who are in a place where this does not happen, please if you have to put down your pet do not let them be alone, be with them until the end. They have been giving you love, they deserve the same in their last moments.
Raven Hayden Rudnik 6 months ago
They told her that treating the dog will not help, then just decided it will but wont tell her. She is in the wrong for not going to other places to get their opinions, but well you cant really know that you chosen the corrupted ones. Makes you wonder how many people were scammed by the Parties involved. You pay for euthanasia, then someone pays to adopt a dog. Goes to the vet. Pays. Vet recommend euthanasia. Dog is adopted again.
Panda Bear 6 months ago
She should get her dog back. She seems to really love him and didn’t jump to putting him down until she had a third opinion.
Sami-Jo Ross 6 months ago
What kind of shelter doesn't let the owners comfort their furbabies one last time in the room? They basically stole her dog and she was none the wiser until she saw him up for adoption.
Jessica SpeLangm 6 months ago
Something is WAY off with this story. I can't place my concern, but this just sounds too convoluted and made up to be real. Someone lied somewhere.
Xayvion 6 months ago
The veterinarian informed the owner that the dog’s condition was both untreatable and that the dog’s quality of life was no longer viable. The vet advised that the dog be euthanized. Any caring and loving pet owner would do what is best for their pet, regardless of how difficult that decision may be. To prohibit the owner from being present during this process and to fail to contact the owner upon discovering that the information and advice provided by medical professionals were incorrect is unacceptable. The original owner should not only be contacted in such situations but it should be required by law. The comments on this matter reveal a concerning level of ignorance. I hope the owner takes legal action, successfully retrieves her dog, and is compensated for the emotional distress she has endured.
Maisey Myles 6 months ago
I would definitely be contacting a lawyer.or a consumer activist to look into the TWO vets that couldn’t diagnose a liver issue. The county shelter also needs to answer some questions. If they found the dog was treatable they absolutely should have informed the owner. She signed a document -which was basically a contract- and the county breached that. The emotional roller coaster this woman has been riding breaks my heart. She deserves a dog back
Elizabeth E 6 months ago
People threatening vets with legal action when they have no knowledge of what actually happened is one reason there is a vet recruitment/retention crisis. Do you know how many differentials there are for liver disease in dogs? My suspicion from how skinny the dog looks is he has a liver shunt - sometimes that can be managed with diet and lifelong medication, sometimes it needs dangerous and invasive surgery to close the shunt.
Load More Replies... Bobbi Lichtenfels Hughes Duncan 6 months ago
Since the policy is to not allow the pet parent to be present, I have to wonder how many times this has happened and how much money they made from literally stealing/reselling pets!!!
sturmwesen 6 months ago (edited)
Never heard that it was forbidden to be in the room with your euthanasized dog. Here I am not even asked if I want to "skip", because it's normal to be there.(edit: I even got asked if they should wake Strolch up, when the OP didn't work. Just so I could say goodbye. We didn't, but they offered).While I get adopting out for treatable dogs or dogs that are just not wanted anymore it kinda sounds like business model when you put both rules together.
_-DungeonKeeper-_ 5 months ago
The people who said that she gave him didn't read the whole story. Treatments would be expensive and not improve the quality of life (as stated by the current top comment) and she did NOT give up on him. She did the humane choice instead of letting the dog suffer; something you'd also choose if it was ever a choice you'd have to make. She needed to be informed. I'd be I credibly upset if MY DOG who I didn't want to suffer was put up for adoption instead of being returned to me if they didn't have to euthanize him.
I Need More Espresso 6 months ago
I think information has been selectively provid... why was the dog taken to a shelter to be euthanized instead of at either vet office? Usually if a clinic advises euthanasia they also perform it. Next, it sounds like the shelter sent the pup to a clinic for assessment, the pup was assessed and returned to the shelter- that's pretty standard- the shelter is listed on the file as the legal owner. The article said expensive and invasive tests would be needed and wouldn't necessarily improve the dog's quality of life. I think there is information missing. For example, a portal vein shunt can cause signs of liver disease and neurologic signs in puppies. Testing can be expensive as most clinics need to send out the test and referral for diagnostic imaging may be recommended- and testing will not improve quality of life IF corrective surgery is not performed because the problem is found, not corrected. If the owner cannot afford surgery, euthanasia is recommended to save animal suffering.
R F. 6 months ago
BS!! This lady “rescued” a dog for the views. THEN the dog got sick and she got all of those “sick pet” views and then grabbed those even better ”gotta put down my dog” views. The agency saved the dog and now she’s figured out a way to get those wonderful “they did me wrong” views. ALL of it manufactured and put on display only for views. She never truly cared about the dog, only the clout.
CF 6 months ago
Stop ppl. She dropped the dog off at the pound, that is the most important info here. Instead of being a human being and making the decision to be with her "beloved pet" during euthanasia and have it done with her regular vet or at the ER vet, she cheaped out and dropped the dog off at the f-ing POUND to let the fates decide or to have it done free. That is exactly what my sorry a*s brother did with two of his dogs, despite having a vet for a sister! (1000 miles away tho). As far as the regular vet or ER vet, they don't have a crystal ball and if you don't do the expensive tests you don't get the definitive answer. So so so many times ppl tell me stories of being at the vet and I'm thinking that so did not happen that way. You misinterpreted something or forgot about the fact that you declined the diagnostics and left the vet to make the best guess they could.
Sue User 6 months ago
Oh yeah. I am torn up about two doctors telling me my dog is so sick, best to euthanise him. So my first course of action is to call? " Hi, just following up to see if you killed my dog yet". Wow.
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