A Utah couple is grappling with devastating loss after their dog was mistakenly euthanised during a routine vet appointment, just days after saying goodbye to their other dog.
What happened
Cody and Amy Zylks had taken their older dog, Remy, who died at 16, to Southern Utah Animal Hospital to be cremated, and booked their other dog, Lilly, in for an allergy shot during the same visit. Instead, the vet mistakenly administered a euthanasia injection, after a cat scheduled for euthanasia at the same time was apparently confused with Lilly.
What happened in the room
Speaking to News Channel 8, Cody recalled noticing something was wrong when Lilly began to go limp after the injection. When he questioned what had happened, he was told it had been a euthanasia shot. He said: "I fell to the floor because I just couldn't believe that they euthanized the dog, and I was very upset, and I started to yell and I just said, 'Why did you euthanize the dog? That was supposed to be an allergy shot!'" He said the vet's response felt cold, telling him: "Well, we can't fix it now, we can just buy you a new dog," to which Cody replied: "I don't want a new dog. I don't want a replacement. You can't replace the dog that you took from me. That is my baby, and you just, you can't do that, and I was just in disbelief that something that tragic and something that important was overlooked." Amy said a follow-up apology call from the vet felt more like an apology for damaging property than for the loss of their pet.
The vet's explanation
Dr Zachary Francisco, who administered the injection, released a statement explaining that he had been in surgery when informed a euthanasia needed to be carried out, and went to the examination room around 20 minutes later. He said he asked Cody if he was ready to proceed, and after Cody confirmed, the technician placed Lilly on the table. Francisco said he offered Cody the option to stay in the room during the procedure, which went unanswered, and proceeded with the euthanasia. It was only afterward that Cody clarified the appointment had been intended as an allergy shot. Francisco acknowledged that "a major error occurred" and offered his "sincerest apologies" to the family.
Where things stand now
Amy described the aftermath as surreal, saying: "To hear that news, you just go numb. And it's just, it's surreal. It's like, no, this can't be happening. I just lost one baby. I can't be losing another." The couple say they're considering legal action against the animal hospital to help prevent a similar mistake from happening to another family.
