PHALABORWA – A Phalaborwa family is devastated after their dog was put down or euthanised without their permission recently.

According to the family, their dog was euthanised after the SPCA referred the dog to a local veterinarian, without their knowledge.

According to the owner of Leo, a 9-year-old male husky, all this happened when his wife was out of town to attend her grandmother’s funeral. The man, who wants to remain anonymous, was left alone to manage their two young children (aged 3 and 5) and their three local businesses.

This meant extremely long days; he would leave home at 06:20 and return around 19:00.

“On the morning of October 16, Leo, who was unsettled because he was missing my wife, managed to get out of the yard after I left for work. I discovered he was missing late that night when I noticed his food bowl was untouched. The SPCA later confirmed they picked him up that morning around 10:00 after receiving a call from a resident in President Steyn Street, just 300m from our home,” the owner told the Herald.

The next morning, October 17, the owner went to the SPCA at 07:00.

“After eventually connecting with the SPCA representative, Rika, I was immediately informed that Leo had been euthanised. She stated the decision was made by the veterinarian, as Leo was in ‘so much pain’ and ‘looked like he was being abused’.”

He believes that if the SPCA or the vet had made a single phone call to their treating veterinarian, Dr Karin Kellerman, who has Leo’s active file, including the full details of his costly treatment he is undergoing, Leo would be alive today.

“This one call would have immediately identified Leo, confirmed ownership, and allowed him to go and collect him.”

The owner of the dog told the Herald that their dog was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and later, a chronic skin condition presented itself, but Leo was still active and energetic, and putting him down was unnecessary.

“We had committed thousands of rands to his ongoing treatment, including frequent medical baths, dietary changes, and medication, to give him a fighting chance. As the owners who bore the expense and emotional commitment, it was our right to make the final judgment on his life. That right was stolen due to a failure in protocol and communication,” the disgruntled owner said.

The owner of the dog says that when he engaged the vet about the matter, the vet said that he was not informed that the dog was only at the shelter for a day. The SPCA was contacted for comment but did not respond at the time of going to print.