Two families who paid a vet at the specialized Senoia Animal Hospital to have their dog and cat put to sleep are furious after finding out the pets are still alive and living with hospital staff.
4-year-old pug named Cha Cha and a 19-year-old cat named Annie.
A Georgia family says they discovered their 4-year-old pug, Cha Cha, was still alive months after paying Senoia Animal Hospital to euthanize her in March. The family alleges a hospital employee secretly took the dog home instead, but Cha Cha was eventually euthanized after the situation came to light. The family has filed a complaint with the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine, and the case is under investigation. via WSBTV
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Scrolling on Facebook, Rebecca Belote, Cha Cha’s owner, expressed her shock to WSB-TV upon learning that the pug was alive months after paying for the euthanasia in March, when she recognized the dog through a Facebook photo.
“I knew scrolling like that’s my dog,” she said.
Senoia Animal Hospital had recommended euthanasia for Cha Cha after she became seriously ill with what the hospital told the owner was an organ failure and diabetic ketoacidosis, and said that treatment could cost thousands of dollars monthly without a guarantee of recovery.
The two pet owners believed the procedure had been carried out.
Belote described the loss, saying it was especially hard on her 17-year-old son, who carried the dog everywhere and was very close to her.
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According to Belote, a former hospital employee told her that a current employee had taken Cha Cha home and had posted a photo with the dog, and that the current employee’s husband confirmed his wife had the pug and said the dog was in good health.
Brian Jagt, Annie’s owner, paid a whopping $300 to have her euthanized and cremated, only to learn more than a year later that the four-legged living thing was living with a hospital employee.
But the hospital account adds a nuisance to the situation, exactly what one would call mercy out of love.
A former hospital employee told The Citizen outlet that staff reversed the sedation administered to Cha Cha and arranged for the dog to live with a hospital employee named McKenna Broussard, allegedly taking her home.
Speaking to the Citizen, the hospital said it did not euthanize Annie as her family requested and believed because a veterinarian believed the 19-year-old cat did not warrant euthanasia and staff wanted to preserve her life.
Both animals have since been euthanized.
Belote said the hospital put Cha Cha down after she had confronted staff about the dog, and she believes it was done to conceal what happened. Further noting the dog appeared healthy at that time.
Police have said they will not pursue criminal charges. Capt. Jason Ercole told Fox 5:
“We feel that there are obviously some ethical concerns regarding the conduct at the Senoia Animal Hospital, but we don’t believe that it rises to the level of criminal conduct,” Ercole said. “Ethically, we feel that there is other authorities that could better address these issues, like the State Board of Veterinary Services.”
Belote has filed a complaint with the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine and said the solicitor general is investigating..
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