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Mayor says vet ordered humane euthanasia of course dog; owners and board members express hurt
Summary
Mayor told the board animal control and a veterinarian advised immediate euthanasia for a severely ill longtime course dog; the Bowmans and some board members said owners were not contacted and said they were hurt by the decision.
The mayor (speaker 4) described a controversy over a longtime course dog known as Caddy, saying he found the animal in poor condition, contacted animal control and followed the veterinarian's recommendation to euthanize the dog on humane grounds. "When they got to the vet, the vet instructed to leave her in the car and that she needed to be euthanized immediately," the mayor said.
Board members and at least one person identifying themselves as a former caretaker disputed parts of the account and said they were not contacted before the dog was put down. A public commenter who spoke at the meeting said the dog had been part of a family for 15 years and that the killing the day owners were absent was "hurtful." The mayor said the Bowmans later got Caddy back and buried her and that he recorded video before the euthanasia to document the animal's condition.
Board discussion focused on communication and whether the owners could reasonably have been reached. One committee member said the board should have been involved or informed; another said the mayor followed animal-control and veterinary guidance. The mayor offered to discuss a commemorative marker and said he would consult a local monument company.
The meeting did not include any formal determination of wrongdoing; the mayor stressed he acted based on the vet's judgment and animal-control procedures, while other speakers said the loss had inflicted genuine community pain. No outside investigation or legal action was announced at the meeting.
