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Loading...Old Dog Euthanized Three Hours After Going Missing
The nightmare for Allen and Alison Holmes began only 15 minutes after their 17-year-old dog disappeared from their backyard. They scoured the neighborhood and posted signs in their search for Basie. The couple later learned that a series of mistakes led their pet to be euthanized, less than three hours after she went missing.
On November 1 the weather in Occoquan, Virginia was pleasant so Allen Holmes decided to let Basie, the dog he and his wife had raised since a puppy, enjoy some fresh air in the backyard.
He checked on the dog every few minutes because she had trouble moving about. At 12:06 p.m. he found Basie drinking water from a wash basin and snapped a picture because he thought she looked cute lapping up the water.
When he returned 15 minutes later, she was gone.
A woman reportedly found Basie wandering in a wooded area and thought she was a stray because she wasn’t wearing a collar. Allen later explained he removed the dog’s collar because it irritated her neck.
The woman brought Basie to a local veterinary clinic at 12:20 p.m. The animal hospital reportedly contacted the Prince William County Animal Shelter for assistance, but they refused to come for the dog because the hospital was out of their service area.
Then they reported getting instructions from the Fairfax County Animal Shelter to euthanize Basie, although the shelter emphatically denies it.
These confusing and contradictory instructions may have prompted the veterinary hospital to feel they were solely responsible for determining Basie’s fate.
Virginia law allows a licensed veterinarian who comes across a sick or injured dog to euthanize the animal without the owner’s permission. And at age 17, Basie had a host of health problems and was very thin.
“The animal hospital told us themselves that they decided for humane reasons that the dog should be put down,” Alison said.
However, even with her ailments the couple believed, “Basie was not ready to go.”
“What gets me is the time that they decided to euthanize her,” Allen said. “I took a picture of her at 12:06 p.m. The shelter had her body at 3 p.m. I hold the vet responsible.”
Allen and Alison are heartbroken over the series of events that ended their dog’s life. Because the dog walked slowly they believe she was no more than a block away from her home.
“We had no chance of finding her in that time,” Alison said. “When we did find her, it was only because of our tireless searching. No one called us.”
Allen and Alison are left with only memories of the dog they called, “just delightful.”
Photo from mcoughlin via flickr
Read more: animal shelter, corgies, dogs, euthanize, no-kill shelters
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Basie was old. The shelter should have given the dog a chance to be found. It's ovious someone had cared for this dog a long time and would probably be looking for it. This dog could have belonged to a small child or an elderly person who had nothing left in the world but this dog. Every animal deserves an opportunity to live but this dog wasn't given that opportunity because of his age.
This is so terrible. Completely heartbreaking.
I have a 17 yr old dog who dug her way out of her enclosure. She too is "emaciated" though I feed her the finest grain-free High end All-Natural food! Since she has allergies, her skin/coat looks awful & she is almost blind.
She wandered up the road about 4 miles -- Was missing for 36 hours! Fortunately, I went up & down the road as soon as I realized she had gotten out, & gave people my name/cell #.
When I was almost totally out of hope that I would find her, I got that knock on the door; someone had found her & asked a neighbor if he knew who she belonged to! Boy,was she glad to come home! I could not believe she had wandered that far away!
This was several months ago. She's still going strong! I'm grateful that the folks in my area gave her a chance! 8-)
This is truly and deeply sad -- if only this..., if only that.... Why the rush to kill the dog? Why not put out an APB one way or another letting everyone know that the dog is safe and sound? Why so quick to kill? As to the woman who found the dog at first thinking he was a stray -- why not walk around the area and see if anyone knew him? why so quick to call an agency?
There's no one to blame really..there is, if you choose to, but what's the point? The dog is gone! Sometimes, it pays NOT to act quickly. After all, in this case, what was the rush! Please, in the future, take it easy and take your time -- hold onto the dog or any other animal and check to see if anyone lost their sweetie. Truly sad!
A VERY SAD STORY, BUT THE GATE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOCKED.
May all sentient beings be free of suffering.
The website for the vet now has a "Basie's Story" link. I find it interesting that the times are in contradiction of the family's photo and statements. And after stating that Basie had several health problems, but was alert and responsive in the original exam workup, the vet now says, "The dog was unable to walk on her own and had to be carried into the hospital. Upon arrival the dog looked emaciated and was noted to have thick discolored nasal discharge, the inability to stand on her own, and having difficulty breathing." And the person who picked her up said, "I saw what appeared to be a stray dog walking in the vicinity. As I took a closer look, I realized the dog appeared to be severely injured. I continued past the dog but later returned to the area about 20 minutes later to see if the dog was still there. I walked up to the dog and noticed how horrible her condition appeared. She looked emaciated and when I offered her a piece of bread, she showed no interest in eating. She had a very difficult time walking and looked as though her back legs were injured. She was walking almost completely on her front legs, almost dragging her hind quarters. The dog was also having trouble breathing and I could see excessive mucus coming from her eyes and nose."
Basie was probably VERY STRESSED from having been picked up by a stranger and taken from her home and family. But if she was not able to walk, she couldn't have left her yard on her own. And supposedly this woman saw her at 1
I really feel for this dogs' owners. From what we have been told the dog was euthanized far too soon, but every story has two sides and it wouldn't be fair to judge without hearing them.
More generally had the dog been fitted with a microchip then the fact that it didn't have a collar on, whilst clearly not ideal, might have led to a different outcome.
A pet lover's worst nightmare!
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