Cedar City, Utah – A Utah family is mourning the unexpected death of their dog, Lilly, who was accidentally euthanized at the Southern Utah Animal Hospital where she was scheduled to receive an allergy shot. As reported by Unilad, Lilly’s owner, Cody Zylks came to the veterinary hospital to have his 16-year-old dog Remy cremated, and scheduled the allergy shot for Lilly on the same day.
But things went terribly awry. Cody tells the news agency that the receptionist confirmed Lilly’s allergy shot appointment and came into the room multiple times to discuss the cremation process for Remy. He describes himself as a bit “distracted” because he was saying his goodbyes to Remy but thought that everything was otherwise normal for an allergy shot appointment.
What happened after the veterinarian came to the room is shocking.
Lilly was given a shot and started going limp. When Zylks asked why, he said the veterinarian told him that Lilly had been euthanized. The distraught owner tells Fox News he fell to his knees, asking why his dog was euthanized when she was only supposed to be getting an allergy shot.
Zylks claims the veterinarian said, “I can’t bring her back. I’ll just buy a new dog.”
The veterinarian, and hospital staff, later called to apologize and explain what happened that day, telling the family that a cat was supposed to be coming in for euthanasia, but didn’t. Somehow the shots got mixed up and Lilly received the fatal drugs instead of her scheduled allergy shot.
The veterinarian, Dr. Zachary Francisco, allegedly admitted to the Zylks family that a “major error” had been made. Cody tells Fox, “I would just ask any veterinarian to really double-check and make sure what they’re doing is what they’re supposed to be doing with the animal. Make sure that they take the time and the extra effort to make sure that they properly care for animals and just really make sure that they’re not gambling with someone’s loved one.”
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38 Comments
I would sue the ASS off that vet and make sure he can never practice veterinary care again in ANY state.
This is what happens when syringes with medications are NOT LABELED!!!! TOTALLY AVOIDABLE. Shame on that vet and staff
This is what happens when syringes with medications are NOT LABELED!!!! TOTALLY AVOIDABLE. Shame on that vet and staff
I cannot imagine a worse vet clinic than this. There’s no acceptable justification for a mistake with an outcome of death. The veterinarian should lose their license. Bless that innocent healthy pup with a caring person who had her life ended due to the carelessness of humans.
How awful! I cannot understand how this could have happened.
That makes no sense. The two things are injected differently. He could not have just mixed up the needles. And no bet leaves needles full of the blue stuff laying around.
OMG…Hang that evil brainless devil Dr. Zachary Francisco!!!!! That sadist must die!!!!
WHAT THE HECK???????
THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND DEPLORABLE BEHAVIOR AND FROM A SO CALLED ‘PROFESSIONAL ‘
HELLO!!!! ANYBODY HOME ??????
VERY DISTURBING NOT ONLY FOR THE POOR DOGS OWNER BUT THE ‘WHOLE’ FAMILY!!!!
THE VET SHOULD BE MADE ACCOUNTABLE FOR SUCH A HORRIFYING MISTAKE BY TAKING THIS POOR BEAUTIFUL YORKIES LIFE!!!!!!
UNBELIEVABLE!!!
This mentally deranged, animal killing, incompetent vet, requires instigation of the death penalty
I agree that vet should lose his license over this fatal “mistake”. Not only for having “accidentally” killed Lilly, but also for evidently not having bothered to confirm he had the right patient, and not having done any of the standard pre-euthanasia protocols such as a quality of life assessment and explanation of the euthanasia procedure to the owner before giving that fatal shot. Also, as others have pointed out, it is standard practice for vets to give one or two different sedatives to the animal before the drug that will stop the heart, in order to make it humane so that the animal won’t feel any fear or pain as they are being killed. It sounds as if Dr. Francisco neglects to give any pre-euthanasia sedation, without which the animal is fully aware they are being killed and feels all of the pain associated with their heart failing to work. I would be absolutely livid if I were in Lilly’s owners’ shoes!
Let me put this my way.. If this had been my dog that this ‘non- caring’ idiot vet had terminated through error of obviously not knowing what he was doing ( maybe had a family row or something before he came to work), I will say that would be the last mistake he would EVER make! My dogs are part of my family so would be like a doctor or surgeon giving my sister a euthanasia shot instead of a flu jab. This prat sure would be a ‘dead man walking’ one way or the other and of that I wholeheartedly guarantee!!! I assume this fools employment WILL be terminated otherwise the same thing could easily happen again.
J.W.
report to the veterinary board and get this vets license cancelled and sue him
Bull, this is not true. Vets have told me that the shots are NEON colored intentionally to prevent accidents like this from happening. And there are supposed to be 2 shots, not just one. What a horrible horrible situation! I fear for any animal in that vets care.
Euthanize the vet for callously ‘murdering’ this otherwise fit and healthy dog that was this persons baby ! ‘No lame excuse on the planet will take away what they did’ !!! ‘An eye for an eye …’ !!!
That happened to my cat many years ago. Animal Control had found the cat and was holding him. I called Animal Control and told them I would be picking up the cat. Before I could pick up the cat I learned the cat had been mistanenly killed by Animal Control.
Talk about incompetence!
Where was the staff? Why weren’t they trying to correct the situation… But at the end of the day, the responsibility falls straight on the veterinarian!
I recently had to put a 16 year-old cat down so I understand how the owner of the dogwas distracted. All I could think about was holding Stella talking to her getting as much time with her before. I said it’s time. Several things could’ve been done differently, but it doesn’t matter. The poor dog is gone and the family devastated ! shame on that veterinarian office.
They should lose there license to care for any animal!! Unthinkable!!! I would sue them as well!!!
Agree 100%!!
Schmuck oh idiots. That place is gonna go out of business as it should.
ACCIDENTALLY EUTHANIZED?? MISTAKE??? BS Euthanized drugs are just laying around until they use them?? This is UNPROFESSIONAL IRRESPONSIBLE UNETHICAL! This vet should not be running a vet hospital! These workers should not be in this field. There is no mistake when it comes to deadly drugs IRRESPONSIBLE. THIS HOSPITAL SHOULD BE CLOSED!!!! DO NOT BRING YOUR PETS HERE. How the hell does an animal get admitted to this place and not be given proper paper work and go over any procedure with the parents! ALL DRUG VIALS SHOULD BE SHOWN TO ALL PARENTS BEFORE GIVEN TO ANY PET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO EXCUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHUT THIS PLACE DOWN TAKE HIS LICENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SUE THIS VET!!!!!!!!!!!
The vet who killed this dog should lose this license to practice in Utah. How stupid is the man? The dog owner should picket in front of the clinic to let others know not to go there with their beloved pets.
What an incompetent, terrible, irresponsible veterinarian, shame on him. If that were me, I would prosecute him because we pay big money for our precious animals to be cared for. I have a 14 year-old little Rescue dog. I would be heartbroken for her to be euthanised well before her time, our pets are our best friends and family members.
R.I.P. Lilly, you were loved 🥀🕯️🙏🏻💐