Capturing and euthanizing pets without their owner’s consent is among the cruelest things a person can do. Regardless of the barbarity of these acts, it’s distressing that such occurrences are more prevalent than you may know. Following the terrible fate of the internet-famous pet squirrel Peanut, many families are coming forward with heartbreaking stories about how they lost their pets. Here are 10 of the most painful ones:
The Heartbreaking Case of Cedar the Goat
Cedar, the pet goat of a nine-year-old girl in Shasta County, California, faced the worst fate after county officials put down, barbecued, and served him at the local fair. Cedar’s family, the Longs, had done all in their power to save the beloved family member, especially after the little girl pleaded with them to return him home. After days of ups and downs, the family learned that their pet had perished in the worst way imaginable. They sued the county, receiving a $300,000 settlement, which, although a step in the right direction, isn’t enough to bring Cedar back home.
Six Down, Unfortunately
In Petoskey, Emmet County, six animals met their untimely demise at the Kei Ju Farm. The disturbing act came at the hand of the Department of Natural Resources as part of their enforcement of a warrant termed as an animal rescue operation. The department put down the animals, including a deer, simply because the farm is not a Michigan-licensed rehabilitation facility.
Wrong House, Wrong Pigs
Nathan Grey and his family didn’t think they’d lose two family members in one day. Living in Port Orchard, Washington, they lost their pet pigs to a mobile butcher who had confused houses. “They were my wife’s pets and my kids’ and they, you know, they’re family,” Grey said in a statement.
A Friend to All of the Families
In Denton County, Texas, a family mourns the loss of their pet, Gunner—a 12-year-old pup put down by an animal shelter shortly after being brought in. Gunner’s dad, Gilcrease, got worried when the dog didn’t return home after an afternoon out in September. Neither he nor his family knew what had truly happened to their beloved dog.
Out of the Country
Carter, a man who had recently rescued a handsome seven-month-old Shepherd mix named Finnegan, returned home to some heart-wrenching news. His ex, who had been watching over Finnegan while Carter was out of the province volunteering, decided to have the pup put down. She alleged that it bit one of her children, and out of desperation, she made the call to have it euthanized. Carter had rescued Finnegan from the local shelter, and regarded him as more than a pet but as his best friend.
He Was At Home!
A similar case took place in Chattooga County, where the county animal control shelter illegally euthanized a woman’s dog. Payton Ragland took to Facebook to share the harrowing story, stating that her fur baby, Koda, was taken to the local vet and illegally put down. While some have stated that Koda might have been roaming when the shelter caught him, Payton highlighted that her family owned the apartment complex where he was found. By law, he was at home!
We’ll Not Take Good Care of Her
Equally sadder is a case in St. Louis County, Missouri, where a Terrier mix named Daisy was put down after the shelter assured her mom, Erin Bulfin, that she was in good hands. This comes after Daisy had slightly nipped at one of the family members’ noses during playtime. Bulfin had followed the county’s health protocol in taking Daisy in for a 10-day quarantine. She maintains that her family didn’t give the shelter permission to euthanize Daisy, who they’d always regarded as a family member.
A Terrible Mistake
In Virginia, a family received a $49,000 settlement from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) after it put down a girl’s chihuahua. Wilber Zarate, the pup’s dad, sued the group, claiming they’d taken the chihuahua from a mobile home park and put it down before waiting out the required five-day grace period. Peta denied the allegations, terming the incident a “terrible mistake.”
Leave Them with Mom and Dad
A woman took to Reddit to share her story. She’d left her pet cats with her parents only to find out that her brother had euthanized them without her consent. When she returned home from university, her first stop was her parents’ house, as she couldn’t wait to see her cats. Her mom told her that her brother had the fur balls put down.
A Little Peanut, A Lot of Joy
By now, you’ve already heard about Peanut’s story. New Yorker Mark Longo and his wife Daniela rescued him from a near-death experience, giving him a home for the past seven years. However, the Chemung County Health Department, alongside the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), recently revealed that the squirrel was put down after biting an official as they were testing him for rabies.
Click here to visit the AnimalPlanet HQ profile page for more and be sure to follow us!