Georgia family says pug they paid to euthanise was alive with clinic worker, then put down

Mixed · 2Rebecca Belote, a Georgia pet owner, told WSB-TV that her family's pug, Cha Cha, was taken to Senoia Animal Hospital in Coweta County after falling ill, and that staff advised euthanasia. 1 2 Left · 1According to the Independent, the family was told the dog was in organ failure and diabetic ketoacidosis. They paid hundreds of dollars for the procedure. 1 Mixed · 2The New York Post reports the dog was 4 years old. Both outlets say the loss was especially hard on Belote's 17-year-old son, who wore matching outfits with the pug. 2 1

Mixed · 2Months later, Belote saw a photo of Cha Cha on Facebook, apparently healthy and with a clinic employee. 2 1 Left · 1Belote said a former clinic worker confirmed that Cha Cha was never euthanised and was taken home by a female employee. The employee's husband later told Belote his wife had kept the dog and that it was in good health. 1 Mixed · 2Belote said the clinic denied the allegations and told her it had a lawyer. She also said the clinic then put Cha Cha down to cover up what happened; this is her account, and the outlets did not independently verify it. 1 2

Mixed · 2The clinic did not respond to the New York Post's request for comment, and the Independent said it had contacted the clinic and the county solicitor. 2 1 Mixed · 2Belote has filed a complaint with the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine. She said the Coweta County Solicitor is investigating. 1 2 Left · 1The Independent adds that this may not be the first such case. It cites WSB-TV reporting that another family believed their 19-year-old cat had been euthanised at the same hospital but later learned it was alive with someone else. It also says, citing Fox 5 Atlanta, that Senoia police will not file criminal charges over the two incidents. 1