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Healthy Pet Dog Put Down So She Can Be Buried With Her Owner

Amber Ascroft

Published 
| Last updated 

Healthy Pet Dog Put Down So She Can Be Buried With Her Owner

Featured Image Credit: Pexels

A dog has been euthanised and buried alongside her owner after she left instructions in her will.

Emma, the Shih Tzu mix, was brought to an animal shelter in Chesterfield County, Virginia, on 8th March. After staying there for two weeks, her dead owner's estate ordered her to be killed as per her wishes.

Credit: Unsplash
Credit: Unsplash

Despite staff at the animal shelter pleading against it, the dog was put down by a local vet and cremated, with her remains placed into an urn within her owner's casket.

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The law in Virginia states dogs are personal property and it is legal to euthanise a healthy pet.

However it is illegal to bury a pet's remains with a person, says Larry Spiaggi, the president of Virginia Funeral Directors Association, according to The Independent.

Credit: Unsplash
Credit: Unsplash

Private and family-owned cemeteries are exempt from this rule although it's not clear whether Emma and her owner were buried in one of these.

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"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. Ultimately, they came back in on 22nd March and redeemed the dog," Carrie Jones, manager of Chesterfield Animal Services, told WWBT.

Credit: Unsplash
Credit: Unsplash

The incident has divided social media users. "I doubt wanting the dog buried with her was the motivation... she probably couldn't bear the idea of no longer being there to shield her baby from all the cruelty in this world. There are fates worse than humane euthanasia," one posted on Twitter.

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"This is absolutely disgusting. As someone who works at a vet clinic, there are so many reasons as to why euthanasia is necessary none revolve around euthanizing a perfectly healthy dog. Humans have gotten so greedy. Would you euthanise your child so they could be buried with you?" argued a horrified user.

Topics: Life News, Real

Amber Ascroft
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