LOGAN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - After a man nursed an injured dog back to health, a neighbor accidentally takes the dog to the humane society.
What happens next leaves the owner angry and stunned.
Hans Peterson likes playing with his two dogs. but he really got attached to an injured stray he named Whitey.
“He was emaciated he couldn't even walk he had a wound on his face that we later deduced it was a gunshot,” said Peterson.
After surgery and months of tender loving care, the bond between them both grew.
“You could feel a crest of fat on the nap of his neck he would run, he would play,” said Peterson. “He would follow me everywhere. He was my buddy.”
And according to Hans, Whitey had recovered from his injuries.
“He was healthy, he was robust. Everyone enjoyed him,” said Peterson.
So, he was crushed to hear Whitey had been euthanized.
“This was wrong that my dog died. Very wrong,” said Peterson.
A neighbor saw Whitey wandering near home and she took him into the Humane Society. Where, within hours Whitey was dead.
“This is very difficult. I haven’t slept at night over this since,” said Peterson.
“There are some cases where an animal control officer sees that the animal is in pain and makes the decision that it would be best for the animal to be put down,” said Barbara Smith the Cache Humane Society.
Its animal control’s decision to put down a sick dog but the humane society backed that decision in Whitey’s case.
“Two of our staff members who were there have provided statements to the animal control officer and they concur with his decision,” said Smith.
Yet, Hans doesn't agree. He says a veterinarian gave Whitey a clean bill of health just days before he was killed.
“This was pure idiocy. I believe there was protocols skipped,” said Peterson.
We contacted the Cache County Sheriff's Office, who’s in charge of animal control.
They did not call us back to give a statement nor do an on camera interview about Whitey's case.
