The decision has received backlash from animal rights campaigners
A healthy dog in the American state of Virginia was put down so it could be buried with its recently deceased owner.
Emma, a shih tzu mix, was euthanised and then cremated in March in accordance with her owner's wishes. Animal shelter workers had reportedly spent more than two weeks attempting to talk the executor of the owner's estate out of making the decision.
The shelter also offered to re-home the dog rather than put it down, but the executor refused.
"We did suggest they could sign the dog over on numerous occasions, because it’s a dog we could easily find a home for and re-home," said Carrie Jones, manager of Chesterfield Animal Services, as quoted in the Guardian.
Pets are considered personal property in the southeastern US state, meaning that the death of the dog was not illegal.
