!!!!! PET ALERT !!!!!
05/02/2012 - A skunk named Flower was seized and euthanized.

This picture is in Memory of Flower KILLED 05/02/2012

Banfield Animal Hospital at the PetSmart

10136 Two Notch Road Suite 109C

Columbia, South Carolina 29229-4399

(803) 462-1076

Do NOT let anyone pet your animals.

What they do is want to pet your animal

What they do not disclose is if it bites them, they will have to call the Health Department.

Most times the animal will be KILLED.


A Letter about Flower's Euthanasia

written by Hannah Miller

May 8, 2012

On Wednesday May 2, 2012 I took my domestic pet skunk Flower to the PetSmart at 10136 Two Notch Road in Columbia, South Carolina. I was there with my boyfriend, Harvey, to buy Flower some new toys. As we were walking through the store we were approached by a female employee of the Bainfield Pet Hospital. She was admiring Flower and she asked if she could show her veterinarian. I thought that she was a veterinary technician and I felt comfortable with letting her hold Flower. However, before she held Flower, Harvey asked, "What would you do if Flower bites you?" Her response was "It is no big deal we get bit all of the time, we are used to it." By then several other Bainfield employees approached, agreed that they get bit all of the time and it was no big deal. In addition, we joked with the employee that Flower needed her nails trimmed. However, I told her that she did not need to do it, since I already knew how to trim them myself. The employee took Flower into the veterinarian's office and she quickly came back out stating that Flower was not allowed back there. Then she asked if she could take Flower over to the dog grooming window and show her friends. I told her that it was OK. Before I knew it she was taking Flower into the dog grooming area without my permission. I could see the other employees gathered around her. I was very uncomfortable with Flower being in an area with barking dogs. As I was getting ready to go get Flower, the employee started to come out of the dog grooming room. When she came out, she showed us that Flower got her nails trimmed. I told her that she did not need to do that. I requested that the employee give me Flower back. As the employee was lifting Flower I could see that her foot was caught in her necklace and her shirt. In addition, I could see that Flower's leg was twisted and bent backwards. I instructed the employee that Flower was caught and I could see her foot better. I requested that she allow me to untangle Flower. I made it very clear for her not to move Flower anymore as the movement was hurting my skunk every time the employee pulled on her. Instead of listening to my instructions, the employee blindly reached for Flower's foot and pulled on it. As a result Flower nipped her. I quickly took Flower from the employee and asked the employee if she was OK. The employee replied, "Yes, I will be fine." The employee went back to into the veterinarian's office to tend to her finger. Within seconds the veterinarian, Dr. Timothy Smaha, asked if we could stay for a few minutes since he did not know what to do since Flower bit one of his employees. He had the receptionist take my personal information.

Furthermore, a few seconds later the store manager from PetSmart told me that we had to leave because Flower was not allowed in the store in the first place. I asked him why and he said that exotic pets are not welcome in the store. I told him that the sign when you enter the store says "Pets Welcome" and when we walked into the store nobody stopped us even though the employees saw us bring her in. I told him that we could not leave yet because Flower bit an employee. We were then sent to an empty waiting room while Dr. Smaha made some phone calls. About 10 minutes later another vet technician came into the room and asked for the name of Flower's veterinarian. I contacted Flower's original owner. She told me that she thought it was xxxxxxx, but she was not sure. So I called xxxxxx's office and they had no records for her. I contacted her owner again and she then thought it was xxxxxx. I called this veterinarian's office and was told that they did not release records without the original owner's consent. I tried to contact Flower's original owner again and I was awaiting a response from her.

Not long after that Dr. Smaha came into the room for the first time. He told us that he had made some phone calls and that he was waiting for them to call him back since this has never happened before. He did mention that he called the Department of Health. I asked Dr. Smaha if they were going to take her from me and his response was "I don't think so." I was given the impression that I was going to leave with my pet skunk. I explained to him that Flower was a domestic pet skunk. The only reason she bit was because her foot was caught in the employee's shirt and necklace. I told him that she was getting hurt. He acted like he understood and he even commented on how tame she was. I told him that she is a friendly skunk and that I was visiting South Carolina for just a short time and where I am from you can legally have a skunk as a pet and that I would be going home soon. In addition, the veterinarian told me that skunks were not legal in South Carolina. I told him that I was not aware that she was not allowed in that state. I even offered to take her back home immediately. At the time I was still under the impression that I was going to be returning home with Flower. I asked how the employee was and the veterinarian said that they sent her to the hospital. Before he left the room he told me that he would keep me informed.

After he left the room I had Harvey return to the hotel and to get her paperwork since I had not heard back from Flower's original owner. When Harvey returned to the store, I told the receptionist that I had Flower's paperwork, she informed the veterinarian and he just glanced at the paperwork. So I went back to the room, within minutes Dr. Smaha entered the room with Charles W. James from the Department of Health. Mr. James told us that Flower was to be turned over to be tested for rabies indicating that Animal Control will need to euthanize her, and that they were on their way to pick her up. In addition, Mr. James said that he contacted our state, and it had similar laws stating in the same situation in our state Animal Control will euthanize an animal for biting. I told him what happened and Flower only bit the employee because she was hurting her. I begged for him to quarantine her. Mr. James said that there was no quarantine period for her and she had to be put down. There was nothing I could do to save her. We were so upset and bewildered, however, my boyfriend asked Mr. James if she would be put down humanely. Mr. James said yes by lethal injection and that I would get her rabies results in the mail.

We only had a few seconds to say goodbye to Flower since Animal Control was on their way. We were given the option to stay until Animal Control came, but we were to upset. Dr. Smaha offered to take Flower from me, but I told that she was now scared and I did not want her to nip him. He took me to the back room and I placed Flower in a cage. Flower immediately wanted out. I told her goodbye and that I was sorry I could not save her. Then I left the store because I did not want my last memory of her being taken away by Animal Control. This whole process took a couple of hours and it was not until the end when the Department of Health showed up did I fear for Flower being euthanized. They led us to believe otherwise when they kept asking for her veterinary records. I think they knew all along Flower was going to be euthanized.

I wish I would have never trusted the Bainfield Pet Hospital employee. But I trusted her, I thought that she was a veterinary technician and her statements did not make me believe otherwise. If I would have known that she was not a veterinary technician, I would have never had let her hold Flower. I put the blame on this employee for making me believe that if she was bitten that nothing would happen and it was no big deal. I'm very upset that she took Flower into a dog grooming area and cutting her nails without my permission. Flower would have never had bitten her if she would have just listened to me when her paw was being pulled backwards. My beloved Flower paid the ultimate price with her life. Flower did not deserve to die this way.

Flower did not have a history of biting she loved to be held and cuddled up next to me or anyone in my family. Whoever had an empty lap at the time is where she would end up for hours. She craved and loved all the attention that my family gave her. She was our beloved pet and a huge part of our family. When we first got her she was malnourished and way underweight, we were pretty sure that the woman who had her last did not treat her very well. Flower overcame some huge obstacles in her short life, this makes her loss even harder. Flower did not deserve to die. We all miss her terribly. I still have nightmares about that fateful day.

While nothing can replace our beloved Flower, my family would eventually love to welcome another skunk into our lives. She brought so much pleasure to my family. I am asking that Bainfield Pet Hospital to purchase me another skunk. It costs around $400.00 for a new skunk and that does not include the spay or neuter or any required vaccinations. I think this is the right thing for Banfield to do, since Flower died due to one of their employee's negligence. In addition, I worry about how they would treat their clients' pets when they bite an employee of Bainfield. Would they call the Department of Health and have them euthanized just as they did to my Flower. I would think twice about taking my pet to their clinic. If it could happen to me, it could happen to your pet. I have left messages with the Bainfield Pet Hospital and to date they have not contacted me back. When the Banfield Hospital does I will inform you in an update to my statement. They have never accepted responsibility for their employee's actions. I didn't even intend on writing a letter until I found out that Bainfield had portrayed some of the events that led to Flower's death in an untruthful way. I want the truth to be told and I am waiting to see where they stand now.

In the time that I started this letter, Flower's rabies results came back negative and this enforces my statements that she was a domesticated pet skunk.


Results


This is a true statement of what led to our domestic pet skunk being unfairly euthanized. I do not want this nightmare to ever happen to someone else. This is why I want people to know that this could happen to them. This helps me to know that by educating other skunk owners, that my baby Flower did not die in vain.



Sincerely,

Hannah Miller


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