Recently, Kristie Pereira from Maryland shared a shocking story that captured public attention.
She discovered Beau, a dog she once owned, listed for adoption on a local rescue’s website.
Previously, due to unforeseen circumstances and Beau’s health issues, Kristie had been advised to surrender him for euthanasia.
Imagine her surprise when she found him months later, alive and seemingly in good health, searching for a forever home. Here is their story!
Beau’s Health Issues
Kristie Pereira adopted Beau from the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation in Maryland. Initially, the two-month-old pup appeared healthy, but within weeks, Kristie noticed something was off.
Concerned, she took him to the local vet clinic, where he was diagnosed with liver irregularities and prescribed medication.
However, Beau’s condition deteriorated, prompting a return to the vet. This time, the vet concluded that Beau’s inability to control his bowel movements and lift his hind legs was likely due to neurological issues.
In order to treat Beau, Kristie faced the obligation of spending over $12,000 just to run tests, all while being told that the chances of diagnosing the issue were slim – and even slimmer for finding something they could fix.
As a result, the topic of euthanasia came up. However, Kristie wasn’t ready to make that decision and chose to think about it for another month.
During this difficult time, she consulted with the staff at the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation, who offered her significant support, explaining that sometimes euthanasia is the best option.
In a conversation with The Associated Press, Kristie shared her experience, saying:
“After I talked to them is really when I felt, you know, that I was going to be doing the right thing by putting him down. They really gave me that support and that encouragement that, although it’s hard, sometimes that’s the best thing to do.”
Heartbroken, Kristie took Beau to Montgomery County Animal Services to have him put down.
There, she was told that the shelter’s policy didn’t allow owners to be in the room during the procedure. She said her final goodbye and went home.
Little did she know that less than a year later, she would see her beloved dog listed for adoption online.
Back From Afterlife Or?
While visiting her mom in Maryland, Kristine, who had since moved to San Antonio, Texas, decided to check the shelter’s website – and was shocked by what she found.
There, she saw a photo of a dog that looked just like Beau, only slightly bigger, and still going by the same name the shelter had given him: Amos Hart.
It turned out that after the vet determined there was no need to euthanize him, Beau had been returned to the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation, who gladly welcomed him back.
Beau’s liver problems were treated with a $7,000 surgery, paid for through a GoFundMe campaign. None of this information was ever shared with Kristine.
She tried contacting the shelter a couple of times, eager to take Beau back, but no one answered.
When she finally got through to the shelter, they rudely informed her she could never adopt Beau again.
Breaking into tears, she shared:
“The person that called me was so rude and just disrespectful and just being really nasty towards me. Just saying, you know, that I abandoned him, and that I left him to [pass away]. That I never cared about him.”
Such harsh words, right? But why was the shelter so rude? Let’s find out!
So, Why Does The Shelter Refuse To Give Beau Back To Kristie?
When speaking with The Associated Press, the rescue’s spokesperson, Chloe Floyd, declined to confirm whether those specific comments were made to Kristie.
However, she stood by their decision not to return Beau. She explained:
“LDCRF does not re-home an owner-surrendered dog with its former adopter/owner. Our mission is to save adoptable and safe-to-the-community dogs from euthanasia.”
Chloe also mentioned that they did consult with Kristie when she was considering euthanasia and advised her to take Beau to a shelter that allows owners to be present during the process.
Otherwise, they would have taken him back themselves.
A representative from Montgomery County Animal Services told Fox 5 that they typically don’t notify the original owner if a surrendered pet is not euthanized – unless the owner reaches out immediately to express regret.
That’s why Kristie was unaware of what happened to Beau.
What do you think? Should the shelter make an exception and let Kristie have her beloved dog back, or should she move on? Let me know your thoughts!