Dead dog's owner has no animosity over shelter's gaffe

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Desert News

By Sara Israelsen

PROVO — Despite cries for the resignation of the director of the South Utah Valley Animal Shelter, Ty McComas said he harbors no hard feelings for the woman who was in charge at the shelter when his dog was mistakenly euthanized while he was on vacation.
"I know a lot of people want (Shirley Bybee) to resign," McComas told the Deseret Morning News Monday, "but I hope that doesn't happen — there's no reason for that."
The shelter's board of directors met in Provo on Monday afternoon to discuss potential changes, which might include a new director or restructuring of procedures.
"We're . . . (discussing) the whole incident, what happened, what was the error and what action should be taken," said John Borget, a board member. Board members declined comment Monday evening and said they would announce their decision today.
The most recent issue of mistaken euthanasia came after McComas' two dogs were picked up for running at large on June 9. McComas and his wife, Rose, had just left for Hawaii, preparing for their late-summer move to the island state.
When the micro-chipped dogs arrived at the shelter, employees called the McComases, who asked that the dogs be held until their return — about two weeks later. The couple said it would pay any holding fees.
When the two dogs were later moved to different kennels, Belle, the black Labrador, got separated from Chopper, the golden retriever, and Belle was mistakenly put to sleep.
When McComas came to get his pets last week, Bybee took him aside and told him there had been "a mistake," he said.
"She was a very genuine woman," McComas said of his conversation with Bybee. "She was heart-felt in her emotions."
The shelter waived any fees and provided the McComas family with Belle's cremated remains in a beautiful wooden box with the plaque that says "In Loving Memory of Belle," McComas said.
Bybee even offered to help the McComases get a new dog and pay the necessary fees — an offer he said they appreciated and would have taken, had they not been moving to a rabies-free state. Hawaii requires that all animals undergo blood testing and a 90-day quarantine time period before entering the state — time the McComases just didn't have.
Belle's death is not the first "mistake," however. In February, four dogs scheduled to be given to an Orem-based rescue group were euthanized after notes stating that fact were removed from their cages.
In April, a former employee's dog was put down before the microchipped animal's legal five-day holding period expired. Although shelter workers said a microchip wasn't found, a postmortem exam revealed a chip right where it should have been — between the dog's shoulder blades.
McComas said they were angry at first but not anymore. It's over, they say.
"I don't hold any resentment," McComas said. "I just hope it doesn't happen in the future."