I've decided to make this post to warn Chelmsford residents. I had to make the extremely difficult…read moreand heartbreaking decision to put my 6-year-old dog, Wilson, down through behavioral euthanasia.
We told some friends that he became sick, which was not entirely true. Wilson had a neurological condition that caused him to bite without warning, and we withheld that information to protect his dignity.
I made the appointment and first spoke with Dr. Maloney on Saturday, 1/3. It was, without question, one of the most heartbreaking moments of my life. Wilson's sixth birthday was the following day, 1/4, so we made the decision to spend one last birthday with him and scheduled his behavioral euthanasia for 1/5.
We did everything we could to help him - intensive one-on-one behavioral training, medication, and careful management in our home. We loved him beyond measure. However, with an infant now in our home, we could not take any risks to her safety.
Dr. Maloney called me on 1/5/2026, just 30 (yes, THIRTY) minutes before Wilson's scheduled behavioral euthanasia appointment. At that time, I was already in an extremely vulnerable emotional state, running on adrenaline, preparing to say goodbye to my dog under devastating circumstances. During that call, I was informed that if I did not consent to post-mortem rabies testing, Wilson's euthanasia would need to be rescheduled.
Given the timing of the call, rescheduling was not a realistic option. My family was physically and emotionally prepared for this appointment. Our 7-month-old daughter was already being cared for elsewhere, Wilson's belongings had been packed away, and we had spent our final night with him.
What has stayed with me, and continues to cause significant emotional distress, is not the requirement itself, but the manner in which this information was communicated to me at such a profoundly vulnerable moment.
I was told explicitly that my dog's "head would be cut off," those were the exact words used by Dr. Maloney, and that it would be sent for testing. My husband was present and heard those words as well; he was horrified.
Hearing such a graphic and unnecessary description at an already traumatic moment has caused lasting emotional harm. Since that call, I have been unable to stop replaying those words. The mental image has compounded my grief and made an already devastating experience far more traumatic than it ever needed to be. I continue to feel shaken, distressed, and deeply impacted by the way this was handled.
While I understand that rabies testing may be required due to legal and public health protocols, there was absolutely no need to describe the procedure in such graphic terms. A compassionate and professional explanation could have been provided without causing additional psychological harm. The language used was, in my view, insensitive, inappropriate, and lacking basic empathy. Had we been given this information when I initially scheduled the appointment, we could have arranged for Wilson to spend 10 more days with us, and avoided the $500 testing bill.
I feel that I was taken advantage of during one of the most vulnerable moments of my life. After consulting with my family and processing the incident, I formally requested a refund for the services related to this appointment.
On the morning of 1/13, Dr. Berchold called to express sympathy for my loss but informed me that I would not be receiving a refund. She also stated that she was present when Dr. Maloney explained the rabies testing and claimed she did not hear the words "cut his head off." This response left me feeling not only traumatized by the experience itself, but also dismissed and gaslit afterward.
I hope my words are taken seriously as feedback so that no other client is subjected to similar language during moments of profound grief. Veterinary care, especially surrounding end-of-life decisions, must be grounded in compassion, sensitivity, and respect.
