People online are raging after reading about a Virginia woman who had her perfectly healthy dog put down so that the two could be buried together.
According to CNN, the Shih Tzu mix named Emma, was brought to the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter in Chesterfield, Virginia on March 8 after her owner had died. Emma stayed at the shelter for two weeks. During this time, the shelter was in contact with the executor of the pet owner’s estate.
The woman who had passed had requested Emma be put down in the wake of her death so she may be buried with her in the ground. During the two weeks, the shelter tried to find a way in which they could keep Emma alive, telling the executor that they can “easily find a family to adopt Emma.”
Carrie Jones, manager of Chesterfield Animal Services told CNN affiliate WWBT:
We did suggest they could sign the dog over on numerous occasions, because it’s a dog we could easily find a home for and re-home.
However, on March 22, the executor picked Emma up from the shelter and was taken to a local veterinarian center, who euthanized her. Emma was then taken to a pet cremation center. Her ashes were placed in an urn and placed in the casket alongside her dead owner.
CNN adds that laws allowing people to be buried with their pet varies and depends on each state. In 2014, Virginia passed a law making it legal to have pets and owners buried together, but, cemeteries must set aside separate sections of the grave.
After the story went viral online, people were completely outraged to see that any vet would put down a completely healthy dog at all—despite the owner’s demands in her will.
I am surprised a vet would do this! –
— Nancy (@nparkerminesing) May 22, 2019
This is fucked and no one should demand this upon their death.
But way way WAY more fucked is animals being slaughtered in much more painful and frightening ways, just because you like how they taste.
Everyone who’s disgusted, good! But I hope you take that one step further.
— Carrie Poppy (@CarriePoppyYES) May 22, 2019
Animals aren't objects we own. They have a right to their own life. If she really loved the dog, she would have arranged for someone to look after her and when Emma was old and died, then have the ashes placed on the grave.
— ?Fight for 2022 begins (@HeyfromChe) May 22, 2019
Some humans don’t deserve animals. ??
— Miriam Ⓥ (@miriame33) May 22, 2019
The veterinarian that perfomed the euthanasia should lose any right to practice. It is unethical to kill a healthy animal. There was no physical suffering to alleviate. I euthanized my dog tonight (lymphoma) and this makes me furious.
— John Bolton's Intrepid Moustache (@AdamReizner) May 23, 2019
Wow, I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but how can someone be so selfish to take the life of their best friend?
— John Carle (@thejohncarle) May 23, 2019
Lawmakers are now considering alternate legislation to prevent situations like this happening in the future.