So upset

[Thelaundrylady]

I have found out today that a friend has had her 18 week old puppy put to sleep and I'm devastated.
Background - she has always been scared of dogs and works away a lot, she also has a very unsupportive partner. So is not fed, walked or played with when she is away.
They were given a puppy several weeks ago and he was absolutely gorgeous. DH, DC and I have met him several times and he appeared to be a lovely natured boy.
Fast forward a few weeks , the reality of owning a dog has kicked in and she can't cope. She has said that he's been aggressive towards her and despite me begging her on several occasions to give us (as experienced dog owners) a chance with him she had him put to sleep last night - I am so so upset..

No idea why she got him - I think she thought it would focus her alcohol dependent partner but that was never going to happen..
Not at RSPCA I've rang them

Several friends and I told her it was a bad idea and unfair and cruel to the dog but she wouldn't listen -
She is not the person I thought I knew

yy agree. would NEVER be friends again with anyone that abuses animals (not providing water and food falls into willful neglect)

A young, unsupervised puppy could easily have had a fatal accident of some sort - chewing cables, choking on something - but I guess she'd have mentioned that at it would make her less obviously to blame.

I just can't fathom how anyone would jump straight to pts.

Me neither I'm disgusted. There we so many other viable options there's no excuse for what she's done

God that's awful. I hope you find out what happened. Have you spoken to the vet yet?

This has deeply upset me 😞 I hope you never speak to your friend again. Evil cowardly woman

The vet surgery wouldn't tell me anything

Although we don't directly work together I do have to see her at various meetings etc - don't know how I am going to be able to look at her let alone be civil

I'm not surprised the vet wouldn't provide any information. They're not going to give details about other clients are they.

I find it almost impossible to believe that a vet would kill such a young dog ('put to sleep' is an acceptable euphemism for a treasured family pet who has lived life to the full and is suffering. It doesn't apply here really). Would the vet not contact a rescue centre? Could you really distinguish between puppy playfulness and real aggression? Horrid horrid woman .

Stonecircle - I didn't think they would either but I needed to try.

I have tried our local RSPCA and Dogs Trust but he's not at either of them ..

I agree it's not pts it's killing , he was far too young to say that he had real aggression issues. I just can't come to terms with the fact that she point blank refused to let my family try with him
Our beloved boy died just over a year ago and we are in a position now to have a new family member and she knew that

I'd be tempted to ring the vets again and tell them that you know they put a healthy puppy to sleep and that you're reporting them. See if that makes them a bit more forthcoming.

Yeah I agree ring them back and ask why a puppy was pts. Try ringing other rescues around the area to find out if they have him. I highly doubt any vet would put him to sleep. I hope she hasn't dumped him somewhere.

I'd also ring rspca or anyone similar to log what she's done so she hopefully will be banned from owning a dog again. If you have any texts from her about the dog or any proof of what's happened use it!

This is going to sound even worse, but is there a chance she could be covering up for the dog actually being killed. I'm thinking an alcoholic partner losing his rag.

The fact that he didn't get fed while she was away is not normal behaviour.
I would be contacting the RSPCA and voicing my concerns, surely they could contact the vets.

Report to whom though? It's not a crime as far as I know for a vet to 'put a dog to sleep'. They're not going to risk breaking the law I imagine.

You could perhaps try asking a vet if 'hypothetically' they would do that to an 18 week old puppy if the owner requested it?

Maybe there is some truth in what she is saying though - perhaps the puppy was badly injured in some way through her negligence and the vet felt he had no alternative. She doesn't want to tell you about an accident which was due to her lack of care so finds it easier to blame the dog.

DH and I have thought the same about the pup being neglected or injured in some why due to her alcoholic partner. DH has said i need to step back from it now..

I suspect that we will never know the truth but it has forever ruined this friendship