A Texas family was devastated by their dog, who was euthanized after the animal wandered away from their home.
Gunner, a 13-year-old Labrador retriever, went missing Tuesday in rural Denton County, north of Dallas.
The family owns eight acres and typically allows their four dogs to roam freely on the property’s grounds.
But it was only after Gunner was called to dinner and he didn’t answer that the family began to panic.
“At that point, I started to freak out, so I got in my car and drove for almost five hours,” said Gunner’s owner, John Gilcrease. Cable TV.
A Texas family says they are devastated after their pet dog was euthanized after the animal strayed from their home.
Gunner, a 13-year-old Labrador retriever, went missing Tuesday in rural Denton County, north of Dallas.
She was able to find out that Gunner had been fostered at a nearby shelter, the Linda McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center.
“He’s in a safe place. He’s going to be fed. He’ll be happy to see me in the morning,” Gilcrease said he thought.
However, the shelter was closed on Wednesday, so Gilcrease was asked to come pick up her dog on Thursday morning, but it was too late.
When Gilcrease returned to pick up Gunner as arranged, he had already been euthanized, even though the shelter had a 72-hour holding period for stray animals.
Gilcrease explained how the shelter initially did not give her a straight answer about what had happened to her beloved pet.
Finally, the director of the shelter admitted to euthanizing the pet.
John Gilcrease, pictured with his wife, says he and his family are devastated.
Gilcrease is trying to get attention to file animal cruelty charges against the shelter.
The shelter said it decided to forgo its usual 72-hour policy to “alleviate animal suffering” and euthanized Gunner, much to the surprise of his family.
In a statement, the shelter attempted to justify its actions by saying Gunner was found to be “geriatric, had severe mobility issues and had no bladder or bowel control,” so he was euthanized.
The shelter said it decided to waive its usual 72-hour policy to “alleviate the suffering of the animals.”
Gilcrease believes any perceived medical issues the shelter found in Gunner were due to fear.
Gilcrease says she was told, “Your dog was old. He had arthritis. He could barely stand up. He peed and pooped on himself.” I said, “Because he’s scared.”
“My children are damaged. I am damaged. I can’t stop crying.”
Gilcrease claims he was not even given an apology for what happened and was given Gunner’s body in a plastic bag to take away.
To add to the trauma, Gilcrease claims she was not even given an apology for what happened and was given the dog’s body in a plastic bag to take with her.
“I think Gunner’s last moments were, ‘I’m scared. Someone picked me up, someone took me to a place I don’t know. Where’s my dad? And why am I on this cold table? And why am I being killed?'” said Gilcrease, who is now pushing for animal cruelty charges to be filed against the shelter.
The City of Denton has asked the shelter to review its policies and processes and share the results with the community.