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FARGO, N.D. — A North Dakota woman is heartbroken after her dog went into labor and the puppy it was carrying didn't make it. What the pet owner didn't expect: She says the emergency clinic just tossed the puppy in the trash. According to city ordinance, clinic staff are allowed to do that.
"I called the landfill myself, and police, and they both said it's not illegal to throw animals in the garbage, said Danielle Kasprowicz of Fargo.
Every city, every county has rules unique to them. But when it comes to your pet many would say moral judgment weighs heavier than the opinion of the state.
Kasprowicz said her dog and the litter it was carrying meant so much more than just another pet to her.
"This is about my animal here. My animal is like a second child to me," she said.
In both Moorhead and Fargo it's not illegal for people to throw away their deceased pets if they aren't diseased. But Kasprowicz said when her dog's puppy passed away during pregnancy, the vet simply told her they disposed of it.
Kasprowicz said the way the vet explained it shocked her.
I said, 'Just in the regular garbage?' And she said, 'Yeah, the regular garbage.'
–Danielle Kasprowicz
"'We already disposed of your puppy. Which means it's in the garbage.' And I said, 'Just in the regular garbage?' And she said, 'Yeah, the regular garbage,'" Kasprowicz said.
The dumpster at the Red River Emergency Animal Hospital in Fargo is where Kasprowicz said her puppy was tossed. While it seems horrible, in North Dakota and Minnesota, it's not illegal for vets to do this.
But Dr. Dill, the owner of Animal Health Clinic in Fargo, said his staff wouldn't practice such a policy."
"There is no rule or law that prohibits that. But it doesn't happen at this practice and it's something we just aren't comfortable with," he said.
Obviously some vets do utilize the dumpster though. It's not against the law. But perhaps worse, Kasprowicz said she wasn't even given alternative options and was just told where the puppy was.
After calling several vets in town she found out they typically will tell you what those options are.
"You can take your puppy home with you to do what you wish," she said. "You can pay for the cremation services. Or you can let us dispose of it ourselves."
Ask questions. Nobody should be offended by a question like, 'What are you doing with my pet?' if it passes.
–Dr. Dill
Dr. Dill said people shouldn't feel uncomfortable asking the questions about what can be done with your pet.
"Just beware of your options. Ask questions. Nobody should be offended by a question like, 'What are you doing with my pet?' if it passes," he said.
So if your pet is much more than just a pet and you want to make sure it doesn't end up in a dumpster, make sure your veterinarian knows that.
"It would have meant a great deal to our family. For us to get over the loss ourselves, and then deal with it as far as burying the puppy," said Kasprowicz.
Law states that pets cannot be buried in Fargo and Moorhead city limits. But they can be buried outside city limits or at many landfills.
Also, it's not against the law in either Fargo or Moorhead to throw away your pet. City leaders just ask that you wrap it in plastic first.
