Woman Shocked to Learn the Sick Puppy She Paid to Put Down Is Alive

A Maryland woman was stunned to discover the sick dog she took to be euthanized in Mongomery County a year ago, was back at the shelter and up for adoption.

Kristie Pereira made a heartbreaking decision to euthanize her dog Beau after two different veterinarians told her that it was the most humane thing she could do for her beloved pup.

So you can imagine her shock when she discovered her dog was up for adoption at the same rescue organization she adopted him from. 

Pereira, who now lives in San Antonio, said she paid $450 in late 2022 to adopt Beau, a two-month-old hound mix, from a Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation.

Beau was constantly by her side, and the pair quickly became inseparable. The pup snuggled next to his owner while she slept, stayed by her side while she worked, and tagged along when she left the house.

Unfortunately, Pereira soon realized that something was wrong with the pup, as Beau became unable to control his bowels and lift his hind legs. 

The pup’s veterinarian said that the problem was most likely neurological, and the blood tests showed that the pup might have liver issues. The vet prescribed liver enzymes and told Pereira that she would soon see improvements if the pup’s liver was the problem.

The treatment didn’t work, and Beau’s condition became worse, so Pereira took him to an animal emergency veterinarian who agreed with the vet’s original assessment that the pup’s symptoms pointed to a severe neurological problem.

The vet explained that further tests might cost as much as $12,000. Regardless of the high cost, Pereira claims she would have found a way to pay for tests if that would have saved Beau.

Instead, the vet told Pereira that there was a slim chance of finding out what was wrong and an even smaller chance of it being something they could treat. At that point, the vet suggested it might be more humane to just euthanize the puppy.

Pereira wasn’t ready to consider that option, and she spent the next month looking after the pooch, hoping that he’d get better. During this challenging time, Pereira consulted the staff at Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation.

“Honestly, I mean, 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,” said Pereira. “They really gave me that support and that encouragement that, although it’s hard, sometimes that’s the best thing to do.”

After spending several sleepless nights with Beau, who was clearly in pain, Pereira made the tough decision. She took Beau to Montgomery County Animal Services in Derwood, Maryland, and paid $15 to have him euthanized.

The staff explained to her that the shelter’s policy doesn’t allow the owners to stay with their pets as they are put to sleep, so she said goodbye to Beau and left the office.

A year after she said goodbye to Beau, Pereira started thinking about getting another dog. While visiting her mother in Maryland, she decided to check adoptable dogs on the rescue’s website, when she came across Beau’s photo. The pup was bigger now but bore the same markings and had the same name the shelter had given him before she adopted him - Amos Hart.

After calling the Montgomery County shelter, Pereira got confirmation that her dog hadn’t been euthanized after vets there determined he could be saved. The shelter called the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation and returned the pup to them.

The rescue confirmed in a written statement that their vets didn’t find any neurological issues with the dog. Instead, they diagnosed Beau with a liver problem, which was cured by a $7,000 surgery. 

None of this was shared with Pereira, who said she would pay the surgery’s cost to get Beau back.

Unfortunately, the rescue organization doesn’t rehome owner-surrendered pets with their former adopters and won’t make an exception in this case.

Beau, AKA Amos Hart, remains available for adoption on the rescue’s website. 

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