Georgia pet owners discover via Facebook that the Pug and 19-year-old cat they paid to euthanize are alive and secretly living with the veterinary staff

Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager

Nov 4, 2026 4:15 PM EST

They said their goodbyes, paid the bill, and went home to grieve. Months later, a Facebook post showed them their "late" pets were very much alive, and living with the people they'd trusted to put them to rest.

We all want more time with our pets. Those 10, 15 years (20, if you're lucky) pass too quickly. But eventually, every pet owner has to face the same problem at some point: making the decision to put your pet down. It's one of the hardest decisions a pet parent has to make.

Then, after the decision, comes the dreaded drive to the vet's office to lay them to rest. You give them all their favorite foods, tell them every minute how much you love them, and you try to make them as comfortable as possible. In this very vulnerable state, you're trusting the veterinarians to do their job and help you let go. Or so you think.

In Senoia, Georgia, two pet owners were scrolling through Facebook, when they found their sick Pug and 19-year-old cat, whom they had brought to be euthanized months ago, alive. They were living with the vet staff, who took their money for the procedure, but never followed through with it. They secretly kept the animals alive, deciding on their own that they should be given more time to live.

What would you do if you found your "deceased" pet alive from a photo on Facebook?

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Cheezburger Image 10675037184 — *Veterinarian caring for a dog set for euthanization*
*_{Models pictured are not representative.}*

Dexerto @Dexerto Follow 0 Two pet owners discovered their pets were still alive despite paying a vet to have them euthanized Both saw their pets living with other people on Facebook

0 Wild Heart 23h. A family in Georgia discovered that their sick pug was still alive months after they had paid a veterinary clinic to euthanize her. In March 2026, Rebecca Belote and her family made the difficult decision to put down their four-year-old pug, Cha Cha, after she developed serious medical complications.

According to Belote, the employee eventually surrendered Cha Cha to the hospital, where the dog was subsequently euthanized. The family never got to bring her home alive. Belote filed a complaint with the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine, raising questions about how the clinic handled the family's decision and why they were not informed that their dog had survived.

They reportedly paid $716.50 for veterinary services, including euthanasia and cremation. Months later, Belote spotted Cha Cha in a Facebook photo and learned that a clinic employee had allegedly taken the dog home instead of carrying out the procedure. The family confronted the clinic after discovering what had happened.

Having to say goodbye to a pet is one of the hardest things that you can do, but often it is the best thing for them.
That is especially true if they're in pain or sick. In the case of the Belote family from Senoia, Georgia, they bid farewell to their beloved pet pug, Cha Cha, back in March. They paid the Senoia Animal Hospital to euthanize the pug […] and it appeared to be the best course of action.
Connor Bennett via Dexerto

HEAVENIM » @YNaut_LeeSin2Me ΉΣΛΟΣ ΤΜ 0 ... Is it not weird that they wanted to euthanize dogs that went on to live perfectly normalize at other people? What was the reason for wanting to euthanize the dogs?

CAH @CAHWisco 0 "We wanted our animal to ce and now we're mad it's still alive" is a pretty bizarre stance

wholesome angel @perfectdread Well maybe don't try to euthanize your healthy pets and they won't live long happy lives with other people

WAVES @hereinthegheto Depends on why they wanted the dog euthanized. Assuming the dog was in good health/wasnt suffering, and wasn't a public risk or anything, then Moral. The dog gets to live, and the owner gets what they wanted (no longer needing to care for the dog) ...

When is the right time to say goodbye to your pet?

One of the hardest parts about this immensely challenging decision is figuring out when the right time to let go is. Really though, the hardest part is that there is no right answer.

“One question I often ask is, 'Is your pet having any fun?” - Dr. Melissa Goldberg / Veterinarian, CodaPet

It sounds almost too simple, right? But think about it. Your pet doesn't know about diagnoses, treatment plans, or ho wmuch that last vet visit cost. They know the sunny spot on the floor, the crinkle of the treat bag, and the sound of your keys at the door. When those things stop lighting them up, when the zoomies are long gone and even dinner feels like a chore (you know your pet, you'll notice)… these are the signs no pet parent looks forward to.

It's not always black and white. With one of my dogs when I was a kid, I remember my parents going back and forth for months about when was the “right time." When they finally made the decision, I doubt they were 100% sure with their choice.

Nothing makes the decision any easier. But choosing peace over pain is still an act of love.

“How do you envision the last days of their life? What does quality of life look like to you?” - Dr. Kathleen Cooney - End-of-life care veterinarian

Most of us don't want to think about this stuff until we have to. It's so much easier to turn a blind eye and remember the puppy chewing on your shoes or all the naps in your lap. Nobody wants to plan the end, but if you wait until you're sitting in a vet's office with a lump in your throat, I guarantee you're going to wish you thought of this beforehand. A choice with a clear head is always better than a panicked heart.

I can't tell you when the “right time” is, but I can tell you that choosing peace while they still have some comfort spares them the suffering. It's one last gift you can give them.

Drone&Bass ✔ @conjure1111 This why if it is ever time to euthanize your pet, you stay with it until the end. Never just drop it off to be put down, let it spend its last moments with you. I can't stand the people that just leave them alone. It would solve this issue

shadowfax @zpointarchive 0 Thank God for those vets. I'm glad those dogs can live happy lives away from freaks that want them de d.

◇ winter gf emi ♡ ❤ @wifugf 0 Good on those vets for still giving them a life to continue. Shame on those pet owners to just euthanize them for no reason.

Irrelevant_mk7 @Irrelevant_mk7 ... -their shocked to see their pets alive and well... that says a lot right there, the owners are pieces of sit and monsters. If your putting them down because you dont want to put up with their diabetes just there's a spot in h I for you

Come again? ❤ @nahcomeagain 0 It's right there on the sign: Animal Hospital & Pet Resort. The owners paid for the hospital. The pets got the resort package, new family included.

WAVES @hereinthegheto 0 ... Makes you wonder if the dog actually had organ failure or they just said it did and recommended euthanasia because the tech wanted a free pug.

Callie Camden @CallieCamden rly hit em with the II GIF ...

Sean @JustSeanTbh ... Obviously it's a good thing that the pets are still alive. I don't think anyone's questioning that... But the part where they paid the vet for a service that didn't happen, surely that's fraud regardless?

Ehidk @Eh_idkwhatever You idiots replying without having looked into this at all they were told the best course of action was for the dog to be put down by the vet then the vet took the dog and have since put it down after this was found out btw

Pixie "LilMommaBear" Palmer @Lil_MommaBear Vets told me my dog had no other option then putting him down, said he'd d e within days ... I coudlnt bring myself to do it. Kept him home where he's loved so he could pass in comfort surrounded by love. He passed away YEARS later!

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Georgia pet owners discover via Facebook that the Pug and 19-year-old cat they paid to euthanize are alive and secretly living with the veterinary staff

When is the right time to say goodbye to your pet?

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