Target 8: Why was Buddy killed?

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) -- - Buddy the dog was the long time companion of 99-year old Minna Helm. "This dog was her whole life," said Joanne Thompson, the niece and executor of Minna's estate.

Minna lived with Buddy in the Lincoln Square retirement community. In June, while Minna was temporarily in a hospital, an employee of the retirement community had Buddy killed. 

Minna died a month or so later after living the last few weeks of her life without Buddy.

The employee first asked Buddy's veterinarian, Kelley's Animal Clinic in Walker, to put the dog down. "We questioned when they came in for euthanasia and Minna wasn't present and there wasn't a family member present what really was going on with the dog," said clinic manager Janice Ryskyk. 
The clinic refused to kill Buddy because the woman said Buddy had bitten. That means that by law the dog had to be quarantined for 10 days. The clinic said it advised the woman to "contact the Kent County Animal Shelter and find out the laws for quarantine and let them know the dog has bitten."

Instead, the same day, the woman took Buddy to the Kent County Humane Society to have it put Buddy down. This time, according to the Humane Society, she said nothing about biting, and avoided the 10-day quarantine. 

The Humane Society euthanized Buddy.

"I think she learned that probably to get the outcome she was looking for she needed to cut the truth short," said the Humane Society's Mark Petz. "I think our people feel very taken advantage of in this circumstance." 

The woman who took Buddy to be killed. Debra Hoyt,is the retirement home's Enrichment Director. According to the Humane Society she signed a document authorizing euthanasia and certifying that she had "the legal right to the...animal.."

Hoyt said she got permission to kill the dog during a phone conversation with Minna's court appointed Conservator and Guardian, Marilyn Fry, who had legal authority over Minna's property -- including her dog. 

But Fry said she did not authorize euthanasia. 

The Humane Society's Petz said, "That's the real sad part about this, that this is a person who basically falsified their ownership of the animal to request the ultimate outcome for this poor animal and she didn't have any right to do that."

But why did Hoyt want to put Buddy down?  She told Target 8 Investigators that "the dog was sick and pooping all over the place. He was sick. She couldn't take care of him." 

But if the dog was sick, she didn't ask the animal clinic to examine and evaluate him before she decided he needed to be killed. 

"They just took it upon themselves to do it, which is totally wrong," said Minna's niece Joanne Thompson.

Still, according to Hoyt, "It was in Minna's best interest" because the dog had bit and scratched Minna.  But they didn't need to kill the dog to get rid of him, "because there were two family members that were willing to take the dog," Thompson said.

"Nobody told us that," Hoyt said. "You can speak to the conservator." 

Conservator/Guardian Marilyn Fry contradicts that claim.  She said that when Hoyt called proposing euthanasia, she told Hoyt that she should try to find Buddy a home first. She said she gave her the name of a niece who wanted to take Buddy. 

Hoyt retorted: "Marlyn's lying," Hoyt retorted. "I'm sorry, Marilyn's lying."  When we asked Hoyt why Fry would lie, she responded "I don't know. I don't know."

Fry said Hoyt later sent her the receipt from the Humane Society asking to be reimbursed the $40 euthanasia fee. Fry said she paid it thinking the family members changed their minds about taking Buddy. 

Fry said the receipt came with a note from Hoyt that said, "Minna went in the hospital the day I spoke to you, didn't think she was going to make it. But as usual she pulled through!!  What a tough lady!! Anyways, Buddy is asleep, she took it OK."

Minna had left money in her will for Buddy's care. Ironically she also left $10,000 to the Kent County Humane Society which, as it turned out, killed Buddy.

But apparently Minna didn't leave clear and legally binding instructions about who was to care for Buddy and how. 

Elder law and animal rights attorney Ginny Mikita said people can, in advance, provide instructions about care for their pets in a legal document called a Durable Power of Attorney. It designates someone as your agent in the care of your pets. The document can spell out what you want done with your animals and limit what your agent can do with them. You can specify, "I don't want him sold. I don't want him euthanized," Mikita said. "These are all things you can set forth." 

Just as important, she said, is making sure everybody involved knows about the document and your wishes.  That includes family, veterinarian, care givers and the place you are living.