I recently read about a sweet little Jack Russell named Gunner who was so adorable and was an older dog of 14. I was heartbroken about his untimely death when the vet accidentally put him down when he was only in with a cough in the DJB Denny practice, in Worcester
The vet said:
‘Mistakes do happen.’
A bit laid-back considering it was a living and breathing dog’s life.
Gunner’s owner animal welfare worker Nicholas Murphy, 22, brought Gunner, to the vet after his cough didn’t go away and staff at the practice told him that they would give Gunner an injection, which he thought was a dose of antibiotics. But realisation occurred when the vet asked Murphy and his brother if they wanted to bury Gunner at home or there at the surgery.
Murphy questioned the vet and that is when the vet replied with “Mistakes do happen” leaving Murphy and the rest of his family “shellshocked” and “confused”.
Murphy lives in Worcester with his mother Karen Wood, 48, sister Hannah, 17, and brother Paul, 14.
He said,
“He asked us if Gunner had had enough, I just thought he meant of the cough, then he gave him an injection.He never asked us anything about the injection, he just put the needle in Gunner. There was no consent form, and no permission. He admitted he was wrong to me and said he was very sorry.”
Murphy has since lodged a complaint against the vet and Gunner has been buried in the family’s back garden.
Murphy said,
“I never got a chance to say goodbye to Gunner. We had to bring him home and bury him, the whole time we were just in shock, I was numb.”
Vet David Denny yesterday explained how the tragedy had happened. “
“I was told by my receptionist they wanted the dog put down. It was a mistake, an accident, a breakdown of trust. It was a very old dog, but the whole thing was a genuine mistake and I have apologised.”
While Ian Holloway, a spokesman for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, said it could not comment on individual cases. He also said that it would investigate all complaints received.
I’m sure the vet, the receptionist and all concerned feel terrible about what has happened and I wish them the best in getting rid of the guilt.
But most of all I feel terrible for the family and Bobby, Gunner’s dad Bobby who the family also own who must be lost without him, in losing Gunner. I know that it is so difficult losing a pet and especially when you have them a long time. To be honest they aren’t even just like a pet. They become like family to you and your best friend all rolled into one. I lost my own dog who was 12 but at least he died naturally. This is so heartbreaking. I understand the grief but to lose the little baby like that must have been so cruel.
Murphy said,
“It’s been bad since he has not been here because we usually see him running around and coming into the bed. It just seems quiet now. We have him since he was born and we still have his dad. Gunner didn’t deserve to be treated like that. All he needed was some stronger tablets for his old man’s cough.”
Rest in peace Gunner.
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