(Healthy) Dog Put To Sleep, Buried With Its Owner

[angela1214]

MONTICELLO, Ark. -- An Arkansas man's dying wish is creating controversy among animal lovers.

Donald Ellis, 54, asked that his dog be buried alongside him -- a dog that was only 2 years old and perfectly healthy.

Ellis was buried last week at Oakland Cemetery in Monticello, Ark. But not before he made an unusual request -- that his 2-year-old Yorkie "Tom Tom" be buried alongside him.

Ellis' sister, Marilyn McDaniel, told reporters the family wanted to fulfill her brother's desire, so they took the Yorkie to the veterinarian and had the dog euthanized.

According to McDaniel, Ellis said he wanted the dog to go with him because no one would love him like he did.

But some animal lovers question whether putting a healthy, young dog to sleep is an act of love.

Fayetteville Animal Services Director Justine Middleton said she was shocked to hear about Ellis and his decision. She said it's common for pet owners to make arrangements for their pets to be cared for upon their death, but that this is the first time she's heard of putting a healthy animal to sleep and having it buried with its owner.

Middleton said it's hard to imagine someone making that request, especially when they deal with the pain of putting pets to sleep on a daily basis.

"We do deal with euthanasia. It's a constant thing here -- and it's just really hard to grasp why someone would willingly put a dog down that still has a lot of love to give, a lot of life to share with someone else," Middleton said.

The veterinarian involved reportedly euthanized the dog after first pleading with the family to let it live. He followed through with putting the dog to sleep because he said he feared the dog would be killed anyway in a less humane way.

Dog Put To Sleep, Buried With Its Owner - Kansas City News Story - KMBC Kansas City

wow.

 

[mom2dogs]

My grandma always says that she would want her Poodle PTS when she died and their ashes mixed together, regardless. Whether my family (I would never stand behind or condone it) would follow through (or whether she is also 100% serious), I highly doubt it. But it isn't uncommon, I know several who make this same request. . . I have mixed feelings on it.

 

[Dekka]

To me it would depend. If there was someone out there who would look after the dog I a against it. I mean I know noone would love Dekka the way I do, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't be able to live out the rest of her life.

If however the dog was not likely to be adopted, had some reactivity issue, was a large exhuberant black dog in an area saturated with large black dogs etc. Then I don't have as big an issue with it. If I thought Dekka's life was to live in a no kill shelter for ages on end, then yes that is more cruel than euthanization.

 

[babymomma]

to me its unfathomable....I mean, that would be like puuting keely to sleep if I were to die tomorrow.. She is almost 2 .. she could very well have 14-15 more years left to live.. So full of life an energy.. Still a puppy for F- sakes.. I think its rediculous, and more then a little disturbing.. Its a Young, YORKIE.. Do you know how many people would be willing to adopt that dog and love it MORE then the one that had the dog killed.. Yes MORE because anybody who truly loved the dog wouldnt have been so selfish.

In this particular case it is DISGUSTING.. Maybe, JUST maybe if I thought there was 100 percent no way in hell chance the dog wouldnt have gotten a good home, MAYBE i could not be as repulsed by the very idea of it.. But nope.. This is just unforgivable..

 

[Crowsfeet]

I could even look at it more from a standpoint of responsibility - when you bring an animal into your home, for good(not an intended foster, etc.), you assume sort of a contract of responsibility, to put the animal's best interests forward.

If it were me, and I knew the time was coming, I would have made sure to know that there was somewhere sound for the dog to go.

 

[Boemy]

That's a completely jackass thing to do to a healthy young dog, unless there was no one to take care of it and the only alternative was the pound.

The guy's kids should count themselves lucky that daddy didn't think "no one could love them like he could," I guess.

 

[Jules]

I am not going to judge since I don't know if the dog had a good home lined up or family would have been able to care for the dog.

If there was no home for the dog, then I do not think it is that outrageous. *shrug*

 

[Catsi]

I cannot fathom doing this for a healthy dog. That is presuming (and I am presuming here) that it was rehomable.

I have made it clear to my folks that if something happened to me, my girl is to only go to them (and they are happy to do this, bless them). If, for whatever reason, they are unable to provide for her, she is to be pts. She has behaviourial issues (aggression) and I think it would be unethical of me to rehome her. It would not sit comfortably with me.

It would break my heart to know that she spent her last days in a shelter. She would not cope well. It would be cruel. I simply could not do this to her.

Edited some rambling.

 

[mom2dogs]

If, for whatever reason, they are unable to provide for her, she is to be pts. She has behaviourial issues (aggression) and I think it would be unethical of me to rehome her. It would not sit comfortably with me.

You also brought up a good point, we don't know the behavior of this dog.

I am fortunate to know some wonderful people who would either take my dog in the event I died, or would rehome. The people I entrust with this, are very cautious about who they adopt out to. I also know my dogs could easily adjust to a new home.

The man was also only 54 (and we don't know if he was sick for an ongoing basis before passing, or if it happened suddenly), I know my grandma plans on sticking around for another 10 or more years, making her Poodle around 15/16 (though hopefully she dies before my grandma and my grandma lives much, much longer!) so even though she says it NOW, you never know what the future holds.

Maybe no one in the family were willing to care for the dog and he was concerned about where it would end up. Way too many missing key pieces to the puzzle. So before anyone should start judging the man, take in account we don't know the full story other than it was physically healthy.

 

[darkchild16]

I am in the it depends camp.

If I didnt have anyone in my family to look after Walker or a few trusted friends to he would be PTS at my death as well. He would NOT do good in another home and would wind up in a shelter. If Booger was alive and my dad wasnt then she would have been too. I do not know anyone who would have taken on a disabled dog like she was. So I would have expected my vet to put her to sleep. There is always a missing piece and the guy is not here to defend himself. Booger was only 2 with her disablilty (got that way at 6 mths) but she could have been deemed physically healthy other wise.

 

[bubbatd]

I feel that this was very selfish on the man's part . This young dog had many years of love to give others . My dogs , granddogs and cats ashes are waiting for me .... and if it is to be , Ollie's .

 

[Laurelin]

Personally given breed and age it's pretty unlikely this is a completely unadoptable dog. If he is young and healthy then it's really a selfish act. The vast majority of dogs will adjust to a new home.

 

[BostonBanker]

I have a hard time coming down on either side. We had a very public case here about ten years ago when an older farmer wanted his horses and donkey PTS when he died. Animal rights was outraged of course, and fought it tooth and nail. Some of the horses were older, some were merely middle aged. The court ruled they were not to be put to sleep, and they were adopted out. I used to drive by two of them in their new home regularly - and it sucked. Not to the point where you could call them on animal abuse, but a muddy pit with borderline thing, ungroomed horses matted with burrs.

Honestly, I would think long and hard about Tristan being rehomed if I were unable to keep him. Sure, he's a pretty, well behaved talented useful horse. I could find someone to take him in a heartbeat I'm sure - but I also know his history with health problems. If someone wasn't on top of his care non-stop, he easily could have starved to death during his last major issue. As we all know, there are far, far worse things in an animals life than a quick, humane death.

My deal with Meg is that I would absolutely want her to live. She is an ideal pet for many people, and I don't doubt she'd have a nice life. My parents would more than likely keep her as she is so easy to live with. But I would want my ashes held on to until she passed, so they could be spread together.

But I'm not ready to vilify someone who makes a different decision.

 

[Lolas Dad]

I go along with what the guy that wanted his dog to be buried along side of him but I do not think that he meant it to be when he was buried. So unless their is a document that was written by the owner of his wishes I would say the family was screwed up. If their was a document that the owner had written before he passed away stating the dog should be euthanized when he dies then the family should not have carried out that wish until the dog died himself.

 

[Amstaffer]

My mother made a similar request. When her dog buddy passes, his ashes will join my mothers but we won't end his life early.

 

[puppydog]

I find this story just disgusting! Lilly has a arms length of health issues but I would NEVER ask for her to be PTS if I passed. She is a happy, easy going girl and my mother would take her in a heart beat.
I have also given my mother permission to neuter Travis if I were to go because she can't stand an intact dog. You make provissions and you should NEVER be so selfish!