ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO – There is outrage in the animal rescue community after a dog found on the brink of death and frozen to a sidewalk in St. Louis is euthanized days later.
The St. Louis County Department of Public Health says in a statement Tuesday that the dog bit a Veterinary Specialty Services staff member. Faust, a 6-year-old female pit bull was then tested for rabies. The dog showed multiple signs of the disease. They say the dog was stumbling and suffering. The dog was euthanized, according to protocol. The person who was bitten is receiving medical attention at the hospital and will require rabies test and possibly treatment.
Over the weekend, Fox 2 told you about the rescue of a Faust, a 6-year-old dog named after the mail carrier who found her and called Stray Rescue for help.
“Her temperature was so low it wasn’t even reading,” said Natalie Thomson, Director of Marketing for Stray Rescue.
Thomson said Faust was comatose and needed more extensive care, so they took her to Veterinary Specialty Services (VSS) in Manchester for round the clock care. Thomson said Saturday morning they got good news – Faust woke up.
“We rushed out there, and we looked in her eyes, and we kissed her and told her just how many people were praying for her,” said Thomson.
Posts on social media following Faust’s rescue raised more than $10,000 towards her care. Thomson said they continued to get positive progress updates over the weekend. Monday (Feb. 11), they received another good update, and Thomson thought Faust might return to Stray Rescue the same day.
Hours later, Faust was dead.