Denton couple demanding $206,000 from city after dog mistakenly euthanized
10:44 PM CDT on Sunday, June 1, 2008
By LOWELL BROWN / Denton Record-Chronicle
lmbrown@dentonrc.com
The Denton animal shelter is changing its procedures after a worker
mistakenly euthanized a dog one day before its owners had arranged to
retrieve it.
Shawn Snider and Beth Bayless-Snider arrived to pick up their 3-year-old
black Labrador mix on May 15 - a day earlier than planned - only to learn a
worker had killed it that morning.
The worker apparently didn't notice an entry on the dog's records saying the
owners would pick it up May 16, said Lt. Lenn Carter of the Denton Police
Department, which oversees the shelter. Lt. Carter declined to name the
worker but said she could face discipline once an investigation is done.
"It was definitely a mistake on our part," he said. "It's a really
unfortunate incident, and we're going to take steps [so] that it doesn't
happen again."
Police Chief Roy Minter visited the owners' Denton home to apologize, but
Mr. Snider said apologies aren't enough. He and his wife are asking the city
for $206,000 for the loss of the dog and future breeding opportunities,
along with "emotional pain and stress."
They also haven't ruled out a lawsuit, he said.
"I'm not going to just let them get away with an apology," he said. "They
can't bring my dog back, so the only thing they can do is give me money."
The couple filed a liability claim dated May 22 with the city's risk
management department. City spokesman John Cabrales said officials could not
comment on a pending claim.
Mr. Snider said he got the dog as a puppy and named it Amicus because of its
friendly nature. The dog fathered three litters of puppies, and the couple
sold many of them to supplement their income, he said.
On May 8, animal control officers picked up the dog after it escaped from
the couple's yard. A neighbor told officers where the dog lived, Lt. Carter
said, so officers left a notice on the door telling the owners how to redeem
it.
Ms. Bayless-Snider called the shelter the next day and arranged to pick up
Amicus on May 16. They didn't get the dog sooner because they were waiting
for payday to afford the recovery fees, which would have been $109, Mr.
Snider said.
By policy, the shelter holds stray dogs and cats for at least four days to
allow owners to redeem them. If they aren't picked up, animals become
available for adoption or euthanasia.
When police officials learned the dog was mistakenly killed, they ceased all
euthanasia until May 20 as part of their investigation, Lt. Carter said.
THIS was a Mixed breed , they could not afford to pay $109.00 to get him out of the pound and They SUPPLEMENT thier income by selling SOME of his pups ......AAARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Some days,, geez louise some days !!!!!
I feel horrible they lost a family pet ....Why wasn't he better Contained????????????? IF he was so special and so loved why didn't they hock thier computer, wedding rings truck what ever it took to get him out???? Nope they will waste money , that should be going to improve the quality of life for the citizes and animals of this town making them address this moronic law suit. If the dog had been altered maybe he would not have left the yard ???? If they had spent some of that puppy money on better fencing or ??? Arrrrrggggghhhhhh I am sure the mother and all of the pups were vetted and cared for to the nth degree before he took them to the swap meet or where ever. I know I am jumping to a lot of conclusions but Gosh Darn it I can not be the only one who spends a fortune to carefully and rarely breed, I have to save up money to have a litter .... I test, I champion, I place with the greatest of care and this moron wants $206,000.00 for ....... Why $206.000? Why not $200.000.00 or $210.000.00 What on earth makes them or some ambulance chasing attny think a mixed breed dog with no obvious or stated claim to fame except he can escape the yard and knock up a girl dog worth this absurd demand??? And Pain and Suffering??? What are they doing about the pups he brought into the world that they sold or ?????
ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH Thank Gosh I do not live there or I know my husband would be bailing me out of jail for causing a problem BIG TIME 
This is so like the moron who spilled HOT 
coffee on themselves yet got a ginourmous award ///what part of here is your HOT coffee would make them think " Hey I should drive with it between my legs ?" I know the lid popped off... and the dog got out ...when are folks going to stand up and say THIS IS MY OWN DANG FAULT !!!!
I need a donut and a big old caramel latte this am .... I have already burned enough calories just ranting over this idiot! 
Bonita of Bwana