Has anyone heard of a Vet's office doing this after a dog has been put to sleep?

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

This happened to a very good friend of mine in October when she had to have her 8 year old Golden Retriever put to sleep after complications from bloat. I had gone to the same vet but had quit going to her before this happened because I didn't care for her a whole lot and her office staff even less.  Another discussion made me think about this situation and I wonder how common it is?

My friend took her Holly, Golden Retriever, to this particular vet in an emergency.  She had to take her there 2 weeks before this when Holly came down with bloat, she somewhat recovered but never fully.  She found her unresponsive and rushed her to the vet.  Unfortunately, there was nothing to be done and my friend decided to have Holly put to sleep because she didn't want her to suffer.  After Holly had been put to sleep the vet refused to give Holly back to my friend.  She told her it was "illegal".  My friend is not a very assertive person at all and didn't really argue or demand that Holly be given back to her, she was such an emotional mess to begin with she just believed the vet.  This vet told her that she could have Holly cremated for $200 but other than that she could not have her back to bury her at home.  Financially my friend and her family were really hurting at this point and just two weeks before had spent $1500 for the emergency care for Holly when she came down with bloat.  She just did not have the $200 to pay for the cremation so she left Holly with the vet.  

I asked my current vet what she did when someone had to have their pet put to sleep and she said that she either gives them back or offers to have them cremated.  I asked her about the other vet saying it was illegal and she would not make a comment.  Thinking back I know why she wouldn't comment, she originally worked for the other vet and was supposed to take over the practice when the other vet retired but according to local gossip they had an ethical falling out.  The nice vet I go to opened her own practice and the other vet is still practicing as well.

Has anyone ever heard of this happened?  What would you have done if the vet would have told you this?  I am going to see if I can find any Ohio law that says its illegal.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My costs were in line with yours, F.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Well we live in the Rust Belt.  Not much going on here in the economy.  You both should move here!  I know when I vetted the fosters for DRC, they were amazed at the cost of the vet care in this area. 

I also noticed, that when I was taking out insurance on Spud, that Zip Code made a huge difference in the premium.

 My vet is UNDER the line of standard costs even for this area and it could be that F.J. has had this vet  for 49 years!!! 

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

She lives in Manchester right by us!!

The vet said she most likely had side effects from the bloat that they were unaware of. Nothing else at all. That is an interesting thought though about a specific disease.

Holly was 85 lbs, and she paid $375 to have her put to sleep, unreturned, and an additional $200 if she wanted her cremated.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Dh and I lost our "baby" Crosbey when he was still young.  We carried him down by the lake on our property - wrapped him in a blanket and buried him with his toys.  I had a small granite tile engraved and that was his resting place.  It gave me comfort until we had to move and then I felt bad so we took the tile, leaving Crosbey in his favorite spot.  When Bougart passed away we had him cremated and then scattered his ashes at his favorite place, our cabin in West Virginia that we no longer have.  I know that I'll see both the boys on the other side in Heaven so really the remants of the body - even for ourselves isn't too important.  It does sound like this vet was being greedy about selling the cremation and if you find her in the wrong - she should be reported.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

OH and P.S.  I do not use either of these woman vets, although 15 years ago I went to one of them briefly.   I know both are very close, but I do drive 20 miles to our vet in Stow and plan to stay there forever.

Just in case of an emergency would you please send me a private email on which vet was which so I know what direction to turn when I reach the end of my street   :)

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Thank you. I know which way to turn now. And just under 3 mins! Great to know. Thank you

[Martha & Cooper]

When our last dog, Smokie passed, we decided on cremation and having his ashes spread at the local Nature
Sanctuary.   Our neighbor's cat passed a week before Smokie and I was comforted by the fact that they had done the same thing.   It cost us $180.00 and we received a nice letter from the local funeral home that performed the service.   That was 4 years ago.  We were given  the option of bringing him home, but we would have had to sign a waiver saying we wouldn't bury him in our yard that is within City limits.  

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I've never heard of anything like this!!! OMD!!! I would have just flipped!!! I don't even want to think about what that vet's motivation for keeping your friend's dog's body might be!!  Our vets here will release the body to you or make arrangements for cremation for you. We also have a pet cemetery in the area for burial.

My last two animals were euthanized at home. There is a service that will pick them up and take them to the funeral home for cremation. The vet was not involved in the decision of the handling of their bodies in any way. Prior to that I had a vet make cremation arrangements for a dog but I also have several pets buried on my property. All of their bodies were released by the vets without question.

This just seems outrageous!

[Margaret & Pebbles]

I live in Ohio and had my cocker spaniel cremated three years ago.  It was $68.00, I was given the ashes by the vet in a plastic container because I wanted to pick an urn out.  For the life of me I was afraid to even open the container to transfer the ashes to the urn I bought.  I brought the ashes to the vet and he did it for me.  I buried the urn in my backyard, and bought a flat granite stone and had my dogs name and a cocker photo on it. 

I know when I was about 20 we had my dog put to sleep.  My dad brought her home and buried her, that was about 35 years ago, I lived in Cleveland then.

[Lynda Kamrath]

I guess some vets (like doctors) do not have the best bedside manners.  Of course they know how people feel about their pets so they should be more considerate.  I don't think there are burial laws in Calif. but we live in the country.  The only animal we cremated was Hondo and we had a "private" cremation and his ashes returned to us in a beautiful wooden laser-cut urn.  It still sits on top of our entertainment center.  Also, when our daughter died, we had her cremated and her ashes in a beautiful needlepoint oak box that were wrapped in her baby blanket.  We didn't want to bury her in a place where we were not going to live forever, so grandma took her home to Illinois and buried her in the family plot.  It is not an easy decision and should be talked about before you are faced with that decision.  We also had a animal cemetary for our son and he buried several animals there, but not a dog.  His dog was cremated, but it was a "group" event and he did not get the ashes back.

[Sharon & Monty]

I would have totally lost it.  If my vet said I couldnt have my dog to take him./her home, I would have to deck that vet on the spot. What a horrible thing to tell a person, laws or not!  The vet has no right to make those decisions, they are not responsible for what you do when you leave there, ie, if you live in such an inhumane place that says you cant bury your pet in your yard?  OMG.  We buried all our pets, guinea pigs, cat, lots of fish, a discovered dead bird, frogs, dogs., shoot you name it......oh my, I cant wrap my head around the thought that I would be denied to take my precious pet home with me.  Not to mention this was a perfect way to introduce my young daughter to accept death and what happens after. 

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I am sure it varies from state to state but since your old vet and current vet are both in the same state, that can't be the case.  Some states may not allow for the owner to take the body away but others do.  I would guess if your vet said she would give you the option then the other vet is up to something unethical.  I'd do the research just to have the knowledge.  Let us know what you find out.