In a twist that seems straight out of a movie, a woman was shocked to discover that her dog, believed to have been euthanized, was actually alive and up for adoption a year after she said goodbye. 🐾
The dog mom, Kristie Pereira, originally adopted the adorable Beau in 2022 through Maryland’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation. At the time, she was working from home and instantly formed a bond with the two-month-old pup.
All seemed well until Beau started showing signs of health issues. After visiting the shelter’s vet, it was suggested that Beau could be suffering from a neurological or liver condition.
Despite treatments intended to help, Beau’s condition didn’t improve, and after consulting with three vets, Pereira faced tough decisions as costs potentially soared up to $12,000 without a guarantee of diagnosis or recovery.
Feeling overwhelmed and seeking advice, Pereira leaned on the foundation’s staff for support. “Honestly, I mean, after I talked to them is really when I felt, you know, that I was going to be doing the right thing by putting him down,” she confessed to the Associated Press.
With a heavy heart, she took Beau to Montgomery County Animal Services, abiding by their policy which prevented her from being present during the euthanasia.
Imagine her astonishment when, during a visit to her mother in Maryland, Pereira spotted Beau’s familiar face on an adoption website. He was slightly bigger but unmistakably the same dog, even listed under his original name, Amos Hart.
The shelter clarified that Beau hadn’t been euthanized after additional assessments found no significant reasons to do so. Instead, they returned him to the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue, which had since managed to treat his liver condition with the aid of a GoFundMe campaign.
Pereira was devastated to learn she had been out of the loop. “The person that called me was so rude and just disrespectful and just being really nasty towards me,” she expressed, distraught over the accusations that she had abandoned Beau.
Despite her willingness to reimburse the $7,000 for his treatment to get Beau back, the rescue refused, citing policy to never re-home a dog with its previous owner.
Chloe Floyd from the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue defended their stance, stating that their mission is “to save adoptable and safe-to-the-community dogs from euthanasia.” Meanwhile, Montgomery County Animal Services, bound by contract to work with rescues on such matters, expressed sympathy but confirmed their limited role.
This heart-wrenching story encapsulates the complex emotions and difficult decisions pet owners and rescuers face. It also raises important discussions about communication and policies in pet rescues. As this story unfolds, many are left hoping for a happy reunion between Pereira and Beau.