Euthanasia cost too much so man tried to kill his beloved dog, Ohio officials say
An Ohio man is facing charges after officials say he tried to kill his dog when the cost of euthanasia was too much.
The 59-year-old man was indicted June 2 on one charge of cruel treatment of companion animals, according to a news release from the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office.
On May 23, the man took his elderly dog Tinkerbell to an animal hospital in Cincinnati. The veterinarian determined Tinkerbell needed to be euthanized, officials said.
The man was told the cost of the euthanasia was $500.
When staff left to get the medication ready, the man was heard saying “go be with God. I won’t let you suffer. $500 is highway robbery,” according to prosecutors.
The man then strangled the dog, injuring its neck and throat, officials said. Tinkerbell was then euthanized.
The same day Tinkerbell died, and before the man was indicted, he shared a photo of Tinkerbell, who he said he had for nine years, on Facebook with the caption, “I am heartbroken. Words cannot express my pain. My dear Tinkerbell, I wish I could join you. I will always love you,” WKRC reported.
The man also had a banner outside his home that said “spoiled dogs live here,” according to the news outlet.
“There’s no excuse for what happened here,” Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said in the release.
If convicted, he faces up to one year in prison.
This story was originally published June 3, 2025 at 2:00 PM.
