Woman believed dog was euthanized in Maryland until finding his new adoption listing on Facebook
A woman reportedly has learned that her dog, believed to be euthanized in Maryland, is alive and up for adoption.
Kristie Pereira adopted her dog, Beau, in Dec. 2022 and sadly had to "put him down" due to medical complications, Fox 5 DC reported.
Pereira told the station that she recently spotted Beau on the Facebook page of the group she had adopted him from.
Now, she says she wants the dog back.
"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 … None of it was easy," Pereira told Fox 5.
Beau had major health problems and the owner thought he was "put down." Instead, he was spotted on Facebook alive and up for adoption, according to Fox 5 DC. (Kristie Pereira)
Beau started acting differently about two months after he was adopted, Pereira said.
She said that after she consulted with veterinarians, it was concluded Beau may have a neurological condition, citing major health problems.
Pereira said the vets told her that Beau’s quality of life might not improve, and she should consider putting the dog down.
Kristie Pereira told Fox 5 DC that she loved her dog, Beau, and it was a difficult decision when she decided to "put him down." (Kristie Pereira)
Pereira ultimately made the decision to take Beau to Montgomery County Animal Services to be euthanized, according to Fox 5.
Fox 5 obtained a copy of the form that pet owners fill out when they bring a dog in for euthanasia in Montgomery County.
"There’s a box in bold on the form that says the pet owner is requesting humane euthanasia, but it also states that if Montgomery County Animal Services acknowledges the pet is treatable and adoptable, they can treat and have the pet adopted," Fox 5 reported.
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Officials with Montgomery County Animal Services said the latter was selected in this situation.
Fox News Digital reached out to Montgomery County Animal Services for comment.
Two months after Beau was adopted by Pereira, he showed signs of major health issues and was acting differently. (Kristie Pereira)
After Montgomery County Animal Services conducted its own evaluation, it was found that Beau had a liver issue, and it was decided euthanasia wasn't appropriate.
The organization then decided to return the dog to the original place where Pereira adopted him, Fox 5 reported.
Pereira said she thought she had put her dog down and never received a call from animal services or the adoption organization.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Pereira for comment.
Kristie Pereira told Fox 5 DC that she wants her dog back after seeing him alive and up for adoption. (Kristie Pereira)
The adoption organization told Fox 5 that they told Pereira when she was making the decision to euthanize Beau, she had the option to return the dog to them, "particularly if she was going to put him down in an environment where she wouldn’t be near the dog during that process," the station reported.
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Montgomery County Animal Services' policy says that it does not allow pet owners to be present with their dogs during euthanasia, according to the organization's website.
A woman who thought she had her dog euthanized in Montgomery County a year ago was stunned to see the same dog up for adoption a year later. https://t.co/lcHuVeWjfa
— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) May 22, 2024
Fox 5 reported that while the adoption organization understands Pereira's situation, it's against its policy to return surrendered dogs to their former owners, and "indicated they’re sticking with that policy in this situation."
