HOWELL, N.J. — A New Jersey woman thought her family’s beloved dog was dead only to learn that the animal had been living with an employee of the veterinary office where she’d taken the dog to be euthanized five months earlier.
Keri Levy brought her 15-year-old miniature pinscher to Briarwood Veterinary Hospital on May 17 to be euthanized “due to his declining health,” an official with the Howell Police Department told WPIX in a statement.
But the dog was never put down.
Instead, Ceasar was sent home with a hospital worker in a move allegedly allowed by Dr. George Menez, who was the veterinarian at the hospital but who no longer works there.
“This employee wanted to do so out of compassion for the dog and a desire to rehabilitate his health, albeit without the owner’s consent,” police said in a statement.
Levy called police on Monday after learning that her dog was still alive.
Officials did not reveal how Levy found out what happened to her pet, but NJ.com reports that she was clued in by an “anonymous tipster.”
The employee who was taking care of Ceasar returned the dog to Levi, who had the animal euthanized, police said. Levy was refunded the money she paid for the original procedure that was not done.
No charges have been filed, either against the veterinarian or the employee, police said. The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is assisting police in their investigation.
It’s likely the dog did not receive medical treatment in the past five months, the SPCA said. NJ.com reports that the animal had Cushing’s disease, an endocrine disorder.
The SPCA said the veterinarian and employee no longer work at the animal hospital.
