A Utah couple is weighing legal action after their dog was killed by a veterinarian who confused an allergy appointment with a scheduled euthanasia.
Cody and Amy Zylks, of Southern Utah, had already buried one beloved pet this month when a routine visit to Southern Utah Animal Hospital ended in a second devastating loss. The couple had brought their 16-year-old dog Remy to be cremated and booked their other dog, Lilly, for what should have been a simple allergy injection.
Dr. Zachary Francisco, the veterinarian who administered the fatal dose, later issued a statement tracing the error to a communication breakdown in his clinic. “My technician approached me and told me there was a euthanasia to be performed,” he wrote. “At the time, I was currently in surgery and told my technician I would come up front after I had completed the surgery.”
Approximately 20 minutes later, Francisco entered the examination room where Cody was waiting with Lilly. The veterinarian asked whether Cody was ready to proceed or wanted more time. When Cody indicated he was ready, a technician placed Lilly on the table. “I stated ‘you are welcome to be up here at the table with us as we do this if you would like,’ and he did not respond,” Francisco continued in his statement. “I proceeded with the euthanasia. It was only after the euthanasia was completed that he stated we were supposed to only be giving an allergy injection not a euthanasia.”
Cody told News Channel 8 that he noticed something was terribly wrong almost immediately after the injection. Lilly began going limp in his arms. When he demanded to know what was happening, Francisco informed him it had been a euthanasia drug.
“I fell to the floor because I just couldn’t believe that they euthanized the dog, and I was very upset, and I started to yell and I just said, ‘Why did you euthanize the dog? That was supposed to be an allergy shot!'” Cody recounted.
What followed, according to Cody, was a chilling response from the veterinarian. Francisco allegedly told him: “Well, we can’t fix it now, we can just buy you a new dog.” Cody fired back that he did not want a replacement. “That is my baby, and you just, you can’t do that, and I was just in disbelief that something that tragic and something that important was overlooked,” he added.
Amy received a phone call apology from Francisco later, but she found it hollow. The veterinarian’s tone, she said, sounded as though he had “ruined our shirt, not just took our dog.”
Francisco acknowledged in his statement that “a major error occurred” and offered what he called his “sincerest apologies” to the family. The mistake stemmed from a cat being scheduled for euthanasia at the same time as Lilly’s allergy appointment, causing the two cases to be mixed up.
The Zylks had already been grieving Remy, their dog of 16 years, when Lilly was taken from them within weeks. Amy described the moment she learned of the second loss as leaving her numb. “To hear that news, you just go numb. And it’s just, it’s surreal,” she said. “It’s like, no, this can’t be happening. I just lost one baby. I can’t be losing another.”
The couple has signaled their intent to sue individuals involved with the animal hospital, seeking accountability and systemic changes to prevent similar tragedies. They hope legal pressure will force stronger safeguards so no other family experiences what they have endured.
The Southern Utah Animal Hospital has not publicly announced any policy changes following the incident.