A family in Krum, just west of Denton, is fighting for justice for their nearly 13-year-old labrador retriever, Gunner, who was euthanized without their permission.
John Gilcrease, the dog’s owner, said he became aware that his dog was missing after coming home from work on September 3. He began searching for the family’s pet and discovered through social media that the dog was at the Linda McNatt Animal Care & Adoption Center in Denton. Someone had found the dog near I-35 and West University earlier that day and had taken it to the shelter.
Gilcrease’s wife called the shelter on the morning of September 4 and was told that it was not open to the public on Wednesdays, so the family would have to wait until Thursday to pick up Gunner.
“When we arrived to get our playful, fun-loving family puppy, he was presented to us in a red garbage bag,” Gilcrease related on a fundraising webpage. “Texas law states that we have 72 hrs to retrieve our family from a facility and they demolished our family by taking that right from us! He was picked up by a stranger, brought into a strange place, and killed by a stranger without his mom and dad by his side.”
Staff claimed that Gunner was clearly in pain and had no control over his bowels or bladder, so they made an exception to the 72-hour hold rule and euthanized the dog.
“After monitoring the dog overnight and into the next morning, staff in consultation with a licensed veterinarian made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Gunner based on his condition, in accordance with shelter policy and city ordinance,” the city said in a statement released on September 9.
However, on September 12, city officials acknowledged that the vet was only consulted about prescribing two medications for the dog and was never consulted about euthanizing the animal. The Denton Animal Services Manager, Mindy Henry, was fired four days later.
Henry’s dismissal was not related to Gunner’s euthanization but rather to “misrepresentations on her employment application and during a subsequent interview,” according to a statement from the city, as WFAA reported. Henry’s “misrepresentations” surfaced during a review of its animal services department that was launched following the public outcry over Gunner’s death.
“The City understands the loss experienced by Gunner’s family and the concerns raised by our community regarding his euthanasia,” the city wrote in a statement, per WFAA. “We recognize the emotional impact this situation has caused and are committed to maintaining the highest standards of care and transparency in Animal Services.”
Gilcrease has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family fight for pets’ rights and justice for Gunner.
“We are rallying anyone who is willing to stand behind us in legal fees it will cost to ensure another family never has to endure what we have! We are fighting for our pets’ rights, and all money will be used to help pay for legal fees that will occur throughout the process of making a change,” Gilcrease wrote on the GoFundMe page.
As of Sunday morning, the fundraiser page had raised $10,792 of its $15,000 goal.
