This was Keiko. She was meant to be NYC Shiba Rescue‘s ninth foster dog.
One week ago, I received an email… a real estate appraiser upstate had been to appraise a home and while she was there she saw a dog hiding under the house. Keiko was a four year old, female, red "wooly" Shiba. The owner of the home was being put into an assisted living facility by her daughter. The daughter was buying the home and Keiko was slated to be put to sleep. When the appraiser drove around to the back on her way out, Keiko came out to say hello.
Believe it or not, even though this was almost 200 miles away, NYCSR has a shelter contact nearby AND we were about to receive a dog from them. Said wonderful shelter contact agreed to evaluate Keiko for us. We contacted the daughter who agreed to let us help find Keiko a home and she put us in touch with her mother, Keiko’s owner. The evaluation took place last weekend and her owner asked us to “please find her a good home with a big yard.” Keiko was a sweet dog, although a little leery of the evaluator’s dog. The only problem we foresaw was that Keiko had never been leash trained. We were determined to take care of her though and a transport for both dogs was scheduled for tonight. We were making plans to take turns teaching Keiko to walk nice on a leash and then find her a great new home.
NYCSR’s Intake Director contacted Keiko’s owner yesterday morning to confirm the details, only to find out that her daughter had taken Keiko to be put to sleep the day before.
They said they would rather she be dead than not know if she was in a good home. How anyone could be so self-centered and have so little regard for the life of another being, I just don’t understand.
I’m so sorry Keiko. Rest in peace.
Cowardly, cowardly. I am beyond disgusted.
I’m so sorry.
I hate these people.
Oh my… I don’t think I can find the right words to say what needs to be said here.
Keiko’s story I will remember always.
That is awful~~ If you ask elizabeth on the shiba inu list about Noelle, her dad’s shiba – the 2 looked an awful alot alike. There is a long haired shiba breed. uncommon though.. Poor Keiko… :
Geezus, that’s awful. I’ve got two cats who were slated to meet the same fate, but the vet’s office asked if their owner (the daughter of a recently deceased woman) would allow them to be placed instead. Luckily, the woman said yes, which is how I ended up with them.
Frankly, I’m surprised a vet agreed to do a “convenience” euthanasia on such an adoptable dog. My vet’s office is quite large, and won’t do them. They’ll ask for the animal to be surrendered so they can rehome it.
Oh, that’s just terrible! Poor pup.
Leigh-Ann: I was hoping for something similar and we actually called every area vet and animal control officer to try and find out if Keiko was really PTS. No one would admit to knowing the owner, the daughter, or Keiko though. I spoke with the real estate appraiser and she said the daughter was planning to tell the vet that Keiko was a biter (which she was not).
i can’t even find words to describe how i feel about that, 🙁
Something is seriously wrong with that daughter, and I think it has nothing to do with the dog and everything to do with her mother.
Disgusting. And a crime, IMHO.
Lach, I wish it were a crime, but dogs are property and, regardless of the fact that they are living, sentient beings, they have no rights.
*sigh* I’m trying very hard to put myself in the daughter’s shoes to try to understand her reasoning.
Nope, isn’t working – I still couldn’t possibly do what she did when NYCSR was already so willing to help find Keiko a home. Even worse, I can’t understand or a respect a person who would lie and tell a vet that Keiko was a biter to make the vet willing to put her down. It’s so close to premeditated murder.
JG, I know it’s not. That’s why I said “IMHO”. Misrepresenting a dog as a biter is reprehensible, and I wish the vet could’ve seen through the lie and tried to persuade her NOT to do this.
I am at a loss for words…. that’s really horrible. Are vets really allowed to euthanize by request?
This is one of the horrid things about doing rescue. Some humans are just so sick that after dealing–or trying to deal with– them, it makes you wonder if you can continue to function normally again. I feel for you, for this poor dog, and everyone involved who was trying to help. I am always a phone call away… your friend Rae (and the redheads)…
If I were her Daddy then I would be really worried about the care she would give me!!!!
I am so sorry.
I personaly think this woman is insane. I’ts murder!!!
That is nauseating. Self-centered is the word, alright.
Jesus! This is so sad. I cannot stand how people can be so self-centered and cruel to an animal’s feelings (as is they dont have any!!!). Excuse, my language, but what a b*%$ch! I dont like to wish bad on anyone, but I really hope this comes back to her, one way or another.
I am somewhere between crying and throwing up after reading about Keiko. I feel absolutely sick. Seeing her sweet little face in these pictures makes it even more horrifying. I’ll never forget this story.
I hope this horrible excuse of a human being rots in hell for what she did! I am so upset and angry after reading this story. I wonder if there is a way to report this person to the proper authorities and let them know that she tricked the veterinarian into doing this. I also think that vets should not be allowed to euthanize a pet without the proper documentation that such procedure is required.
What this b*tch did is not much different from what that monster Michael Vick has done.