A Texas family is mourning the loss of their pet dog, Gunner, a 13-year-old Labrador, who was euthanized after wandering away from home.

Last Tuesday, Gunner went missing from his family’s eight-acre property in Denton County, north of Dallas.

Typically, the family allows their four dogs to roam freely. Concern arose when Gunner did not return for dinner, prompting owner John Gilcrease to search for him.

“I started to panic,” Gilcrease recounted. “I jumped in my car and drove around for nearly five hours.” He eventually discovered that Gunner had been taken to the Linda McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center.

“I thought, ‘He’s at a safe place. They’re gonna feed him. He’s gonna be happy to see me in the morning,’” Gilcrease said. However, the shelter was closed on Wednesday, and he was instructed to return for Gunner on Thursday morning. Tragically, he arrived too late.

When Gilcrease returned, he learned that Gunner had already been euthanized despite the shelter’s standard policy of holding stray animals for 72 hours.

Initially, the shelter staff were evasive about Gunner’s fate, but the director later confirmed the decision to euthanize him.

In a statement, the shelter explained that Gunner was considered “geriatric” and suffered from severe mobility impairment, which led them to waive the usual waiting period to “alleviate animal suffering.”

Gilcrease believes Gunner’s health issues were exacerbated by fear. He recalled the shelter’s comments: “Your dog was old. He had arthritis. He can barely stand up. He pooped and peed himself.” Gilcrease replied, “Because he’s scared.”

The emotional toll on Gilcrease and his family has been immense. “My children are damaged. I’m damaged. I can’t stop crying,” he said. He was also troubled by the lack of an apology and the way Gunner’s body was returned to him in a plastic bag.

Gilcrease expressed deep concern for what Gunner experienced in his final moments, wondering if the dog felt alone and frightened. He is now advocating for animal cruelty charges against the shelter.

In response to the incident, the City of Denton has requested the shelter to review its policies, with the findings to be shared with the community.

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