A woman in Virginia created controversy from the grave by asking in her will for Emma, her healthy Shih Tzu, to be euthanized and buried alongside her.
Under current Virginia law, pets are viewed as sole property of their owner and the state was forced to allow the euthanization to take place.
Shelters begged the will's executors not to kill the healthy dog, insisting they could find a new owner for it easily.
Carrie Jones, manager of Chesterfield Animal Services, told WWBT:
"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. Ultimately, they came back in on March 22 and redeemed the dog."
Emma was then taken to a nearby veterinary office where she was killed, cremated and placed in an urn alongside the body of her dead owner.
Virginia state law doesn't allow pets to be buried with their owners in commercial cemeteries, but allows the practice in privately-owned ones.
Though, legally, Virginia residents have a right to euthanize their dog at their own discretion, many veterinarians refuse to do so on ethical grounds.
Twitter was outraged at the late woman's wish to have her dog killed.
Many felt Virginia's laws needed to be changed ASAP.
Though there were some who said they understood where the deceased woman was coming from, most people agreed killing a perfectly healthy dog to fulfill a dead woman's request was a horrible decision.
The woman who requested her own dog be killed didn't do this alone.
RIP Emma.
Hopefully you'll find humans who wish the best for you, not themselves, on the other side.
