Article first published as Woman Devastated Over Dog Being Euthanized on Technorati.
Woman Devastated Over Dog Being Euthanized
We are told over and over again to "read the fine print" on everything we sign or agree to. We hear it so much that most of us just take it for granted and really don't think about it too much.
Such was the case for Denise Wilkinson of Largo, FL when she decided to take Sunny, her Rottweiler-Mastiff mix, to Pinellas County Animal Services on March 2nd. Sunny had become larger than the weight limit for dogs at Ms. Wilkinson's apartment complex and she had not been able to finalize the agreement with his new owners before the apartment complex's deadline to remove him from the premises. To remain in compliance with her apartment complex's rules, she decided to drop Sunny off at the Pinellas County Animal Services for a day until she could get the arrangement finalized. When she went to pick the dog up the next day, she was told that Sunny had been euthanized. "I cried instantly, Wilkinson said. "I was so upset."
In an article titled "Woman upset after dog unexpectedly euthanized at pound", published on News Channel 8's website, the Senior Animal Control Officer John Hohenstern said Sunny was aggresive and caused concerrns about the safety of shelter workers. "It was determined that because of the aggression in the dog it was not an adoption candidate," Hohenstern said. "We couldn't do anything with the dog." "Caution" is written on Sunny's paperwork at Animal Services. It also states Sunny didn't like cats and had once tried to attack one. Wilkinson said she told them Sunny had chased — not attacked — a cat.
Fingers are being pointed in all directions over this story. Claims of unclear wording in warnings published at the Animal Service office. Claims that wording at the Service's web site were also "unclear". What IS clear is that Sunny was indeed euthanized after just one day at the pound and Sunny's owner had NO IDEA when she dropped her dog off at Animal Services to spend the night, that this would be her last goodbye!
According to the article in the Tampa Tribune, "Pinellas County Animal Services makes no promise, actual or implied, regarding holding time, treatment, adoption or disposition of this animal."
The same language is posted on the wall at Animal Services. Since the incident, the wording has been changed. The website and all posted warnings now say: "There is no guaranteed holding period for an animal that is surrendered by the owner or owner's designated agent. Animal Services Veterinary staff will thoroughly examine the animal(s) as soon as deemed possible for two very important things; health and temperment." The site also reads that if the animal is deemed to be aggressive or severely ill, it will be humanely euthanized.
According to the web article, Wilkinson said that if the revised language had been on the website when she looked at it, she wouldn't have taken Sunny there. She said she hopes the change to the website's language "saves another dog's life."
Please make sure you read everything, even the fine print, when dealing with leaving an animal at any Animal Services location. It's always best to deal with a "no kill" shelter whenever possible and "Sunny" is proof of that!
Read more: http://technorati.com/women/article/woman-devastated-over-dog-being-euthanized/#ixzz1HtHQyqWp
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