Kristie Pereira adopted her dog, Beau, in December 2022 but sadly had to euthanize him due to medical complications. Recently, she discovered that Beau was alive and up for adoption through the same Facebook group she originally adopted him from. Pereira expressed her desire to get Beau back, stating that she had a strong emotional attachment to him, and it was a difficult decision to euthanize him in the first place. She had consulted with veterinarians who diagnosed Beau with a neurological condition and advised putting him down as his quality of life was not expected to improve.
Pereira took Beau to Montgomery County Animal Services to be euthanized, filling out a form requesting humane euthanasia. However, the organization determined that Beau was treatable and adoptable, so they decided to treat his liver issue and return him to the original adoption organization instead of euthanizing him. Despite Pereira thinking that Beau had been euthanized, it was reported that she was given the option to return the dog to the adoption organization if she decided to euthanize him, especially if she did not want to be present during the process. Montgomery County Animal Services does not allow pet owners to be present during euthanasia, and the adoption organization maintains its policy of not returning surrendered dogs to their former owners.
Montgomery County Animal Services conducted an evaluation of Beau and decided that euthanasia was not appropriate due to his treatable condition. The decision was made to return Beau to the adoption organization, where Pereira had originally adopted him from. Pereira reportedly never received a call from animal services or the adoption organization informing her of Beau’s status, and she believed that he had been euthanized as per her request. The adoption organization reiterated its policy of not returning surrendered dogs to their former owners, despite understanding Pereira’s situation and emotional attachment to Beau.
Pereira expressed her desire to get Beau back, questioning the situation and stating that she would not have made the decision to euthanize him if she had known there was a possibility of him being treated and rehomed. She emphasized her emotional connection to Beau and the difficulty of the decision to euthanize him due to his health issues. The adoption organization maintained its policy despite Pereira’s wishes, stating that they are sticking with their policy of not returning surrendered dogs to former owners. Montgomery County Animal Services confirmed that Beau was returned to the adoption organization where Pereira had originally adopted him from.
The story of Kristie Pereira and her dog Beau highlights the emotional complexity of pet ownership and the difficult decisions that pet owners sometimes have to make when faced with medical issues affecting their animals. Despite Pereira’s belief that she had euthanized Beau, the organization responsible for his care deemed him treatable and decided to return him to the adoption organization for rehoming. The incident raises questions about communication processes between pet owners and animal care organizations, as well as the ethical considerations surrounding euthanasia and rehoming of pets. Kristie Pereira’s desire to have Beau back underscores the strong bonds that can form between pets and their owners, and the lengths that some individuals are willing to go to ensure the well-being of their animals.
