A Spencer County, Kentucky family is infuriated and beside themselves after their beloved dog was shot in the head by a Spencer County Animal Control Officer and tossed into a dumpster.
A resident found Abigail, a Chihuahua, in the dumpster behind the courthouse, wrapped in a towel inside of a bag.
The Lewis family had been searching for Abigail, who had been part of their family for the past nine years.
Abigail had wandered off their rural property and wound up getting hit by a car. A passerby spotted Abigail and called Spencer County Animal Control.
Since Abigail reportedly had no ID tag, Animal Control Director David Wood says he shot Abigail to put her out of her misery, rather than bring her to the animal hospital, since the closest one was an hour away.
“You killed my dog for no reason, you caused me a lot of pain,” Tommy Lewis said to Wood at a county meeting.
Wood understands that it’s upsetting, but says he didn’t do anything wrong.
According to Kentucky state law, euthanasia by gunshot is not allowed, unless the animal is suffering from injuries. But the Lewis family wishes they had at least tried to find the owners or brought her to a vet professional instead of taking it upon themselves to say she wasn’t worth it.
Friends of the Spencer County Animal Shelter said they would have paid for Abigail’s medical costs if they were notified that she had been hit by a car.
Judge-Executive John Riley says a new county policy will be created that will require animal control to notify the judge-executive and that the animal must be seen by a vet, even if they need to be transported there. If the animal has to be euthanized, it must be cremation arranged by a vet.
But despite the new policy, the Lewis family is heartbroken and will always have a piece of their hearts missing without their Abigail.
There will be a county meeting to determine if Wood will keep his job.
