Posted on 02/21/2012 1:38:32 PM PST by iowamark
Lisa Gossett's one-year-old Chihuahua Lola was viciously attacked by another dog four months ago.
The veterinarian told her the outlook was grim and gave Gossett two choices.
"Pay out all this money and there's a 20% chance that she'll live or euthanize her, so it was hard," said Gossett.
Gossett says she didn't want Lola to suffer so she signed on the dotted line and said a painful goodbye.
It hit her 5-year-old daughter Bianca hard, she said.
"When she prays she says I want to see Lola again - I want to see Lola again," said Gossett.
The family had moved on until this week, when Gossett got a phone call.
It was the company that programs the ID microchips that go into pets.
The caller said a woman was requesting to switch Lola's chip over to a new owner.
"And I said 'oh no, you're mistaken Lola is not alive we had her put down she was in an accident and they said no ma'am in fact she is alive and there's a request for ownership for her," said Gossett.
Gossett immediately called the vet demanding answers.
It boils down to a document the owner signed when she gave the vet the go-ahead to euthanize the dog.
What she didn't know, and what wasn't explained to her, was she was surrendering all ownership rights to the veterinarian.
The vet chose to turn Lola over to the foundation "Second Chance" which rehabilitates dogs.
They assigned Lola to a foster home for her recovery.
After finding out about the miscommunication, Second Chance put Gossett in touch with Lola's new owner, Leslie Mason.
"When I was asked to take it I didn't believe it had an owner and it was just in bad shape and needed to be nursed back to health," said Mason.
Mason says she recently lost a dog to disease.
She says the only thing that got her through it was nursing Lola back to health - who she named Tinker.
"I want to say take her but then I want to say no, I want her - it's just, it's hard," said Mason.
In an act of complete kindness, Gossett and her daughter decided to let Lola stay at her new home.
"I'm grateful that she's in a place that she's so happy, I'm grateful just to be able to see her again," said Gossett.
Even though there was a happy ending, Gossett still has questions for the vet.
She says it was never explained to her that the vet could choose to keep the dog alive.
She wants an apology and a refund for the money she put down to have Lola cremated.
By the time we found out the full details in this story the vets office was closed, so we couldn't get their response.
Me, when I make the decision to put an animal down I do it myself. I don't get a vet, which is somebody else, to do it.
There are no printable words...
One of the biggest obstacles to euthanizing your own pet is the fact that it is impossible to obtain the drug, so the owner is left with suffocation, gunshot, or something similar.
I wish they could live longer, but it's a part of the bargain we make when we take them into our homes and lives. It's just so hard sometimes.
They are getting somebody else to do what they arent willing to do.
So, what would you do, big man? Take the dog out and shoot it? Yeah, I've read your type here on FR before. Testosterone is your middle name.
I lost a job because I was unwilling to shoot a perfectly healthy animal. Just because there were no “no-kill” shelters in the area. After three days, strays were put down.
Cats live so long, it’s a good thing. My dogs usually last about 13 years, not long enough.
My animal, my responsibility not someone else.
Sounds like a job worth losing.
I'm sorry but that's just a stupid statement. How in the heck am I supposed to do it myself? I do not consider you any more humane than I. It's ridiculous to say otherwise.
I wont. I end it.
I had to shoot a dog in Houston one day. He had been hit by a car, no way he was going to live, and people were just standing around watching him suffer.
They were together for 15 years, so for her, there was no mistaking his scent, even from his ashes.
I’m about to take a lot of heat for this...but. If you are out in the boonies, if you’ve made SURE the animal can’t be saved... I will agree with you.
I grew up in the Midwest, farm family... I’ll never forget the day my Grandpa took HIS beloved dog out to the woods, shotgun and shovel, dog on the leash.
He came back crying....
It just was what it was... Freaking hard, but that was how it was.
Again... I agree with your method ONLY if you’re satisfied with the vet saying there was no quality life left.
OK...flame away. :(
Only in Georgia. Where you get redi mix concrete for Crematory remains.
Do you avoid doctors and medically treat your children yourself? After all, they are your responsibility.
Let’s just say I wouldn’t want to be ANY living creature in that household. Mr. Holier than thou just shoots his dog and thinks lesser of anyone who cares enough to put their pets down humanely. Absolutely unbelievable.
That’s so cute!
And comforting for you!
That’s disgusting. I’ll bet they found more than his uncle, too. I just don’t care for cremation - not to mention the family rancor over ashes (legit or not) it can cause.
“Id have that vets head on a stick *and* my dog back.”
You got that right. I had a vet try to tell me my dog Buddy probably had cancer and he would likely not make it. I looked at the guy like he was insane and told him the dog ate a bad toadstool in the yard dude. After a couple of days in ICU and 2 weeks of Denosyl ( a liver supplement) and $1,200 in vet bills Buddy snapped back and is currently in the peak of health 4 years later. Needless to say we have a new vet.
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