The Newshound

Georgia vet clinic is accused of putting down a pug a worker secretly kept after her family paid for euthanasia

Rebecca Belote and her black pug Cha Cha. Belote's 17-year-old son Cohen, who had matching hoodies with the dog, was devastated by her loss — before the family discovered a clinic employee had allegedly kept Cha Cha…
Rebecca Belote and her black pug Cha Cha. Belote's 17-year-old son Cohen, who had matching hoodies with the dog, was devastated by her loss — before the family discovered a clinic employee had allegedly kept Cha Cha…

Rebecca Belote, of Coweta County, Georgia, spotted a photo on Facebook of her four-year-old pug Cha Cha — months after paying Senoia Animal Hospital to euthanize the dog in March 2026. A former employee confirmed that a female worker had taken Cha Cha home, and the employee's husband told Belote the dog had made a full recovery and was in good health. After the family raised the alarm, the clinic put Cha Cha down — a move Belote believes was intended to conceal what had happened.

Belote's 17-year-old son was hit especially hard by the loss; he and Cha Cha wore matching hoodies and he carried her everywhere.

Belote has lodged a complaint with the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine, though police have stopped short of pursuing criminal charges.

Senoia Animal Hospital has denied the allegations and, on legal advice, declined to comment publicly on the matter.

MoreThe IndependentA vet said a family’s beloved ‘Cha Cha’ had to be euthanized. Then they spotted pug living with worker months laterNY PostGeorgia dog lovers paid to put sick pup down, then found him alive and well months later — what came next was even worseInternational Business Times UK'That's Just Sick' Pug Owner Says Vet Worker Secretly Kept Dog After Family Paid for Euthanasia and Cremation - International Business Times UKLADbibleVet employee 'took dog home' after family paid to have it put down - LADbible
Read today's full feed at The Newshound →