Giving animals a second chance at life

Giving animals a second chance at life, that's the basis of Jarrettsville Veterinary Center.

They say a dog is a man's best friend, but at the Jarrettsville Veterinary Center, a dog is family.

“It's an exchange of love, they brighten our day, they remind us what to be grateful for,” said Cindy Huffman, a receptionist at the Jarrettsville Vet Center.

Honey is a dog that was brought into Jarrettsville Vet Center that brought joy.

"So, Honey came to us many months ago, she came in as a patient we had never seen before,” said Dr. Krista Magnifico, Jarrettsville Veterinary Center Veterinarian.

Magnifico said Honey was brought in for a quality of life evaluation.

"We do not book euthanasia appointments without an exam. We really want to talk to people and understand what's going on," said Magnifico.

They saw that Honey may be an older dog but still full of life.

"So she had a brand new toy in her mouth and she was laying here and she was just her happy happy self, “ said Magnifico.

Magnifico said the other veterinarian Dr. Peterson couldn't bear to end Honey's life without trying other options. Although the vet presented those options, they weren't wanted.

"I know he was hearing us and he said I’m just going to leave with her," said Magnifico about the owner of Honey.

Months went by, then Honey's owner called the center saying he wanted to not only surrender Honey but also another dog.

"So in a matter of a couple of hours we got two dogs and they went through our local rescue and then Honey was seen by Dr. Peterson and she was like I need that dog,” said Magnifico.

Given a second chance at life. Magnifico said these decisions aren't easy on both sides. That's why she goes over things to look at with pet owners.

"For me personally, we have to have the big four. You have to be able to eat and drink and pee and poop. Those are very basic. If your pet is doing those then we can talk about the rest of the stuff,” said Magnifico.

She said ultimately, it's up to the owner to decide the quality of life.

As for now, Honey has a basket of toys and is living her best life.