Family, community outraged after lost dog was euthanized at animal shelter in Denton

The owner of a lost dog says a shelter in Denton euthanized the Labrador while the owner was on his way to retrieve the pet.

John Gilcrease, the owner of Gunner, shared his story on Tik-Tok, which sparked outrage on social media, with videos receiving more than 5 million views.

Gilcrease said he noticed his 12-year-old Labrador was missing on Sept. 3 when Gunner didn’t come to get his dinner at the family farm outside of Krum in Denton County. He said he searched the area, then went online to ask for help finding Gunner.

One person shared a screenshot of Gunner online from the website for the Linda McNatt Animal Care & Adoption Center in Denton, KDFW-TV reported.

The shelter is also known as the City of Denton Animal Shelter, according to its website.

Gilcrease said on TikTok that his family called the shelter the morning of Sept. 4 and were told Gunner was there but the shelter was closed until Sept. 5 and he could be picked up at 10 a.m.

But when Gilcrease showed up at the shelter, he said he was told Gunner wasn’t there. He said he was taken to an office, where shelter staff told him Gunner was in pain and they euthanized him.

The last time Gilcrease saw Gunner, he said the dog was sunbathing in the driveway at his farm in Krum.

Gilcrease said on TikTok he’s seeking criminal charges against the shelter’s manager and director for animal abuse.

The shelter did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Star-Telegram.

In a statement to the Denton Record-Chronicle, a city spokesperson said that Gunner was euthanized because “he was geriatric, had severe mobility impairment, and no control over his bladder and bowels.”

The city’s website says the shelter will give dog owners at least 72 hours before euthanizing a dog or putting it up for adoption. But the city’s statement said that hold time can be waived in order to “alleviate animal suffering.”

“After monitoring the dog overnight and into the next morning, staff in consultation with a licensed veterinarian made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Gunner based on his condition, in accordance with shelter policy and City Ordinance,” the spokesperson told the Record-Chronicle.

Gilcrease said Gunner was taken to the shelter on the evening of Sept. 3 and Gilcrease went to pick him up Sept. 5 — but only because he was told he couldn’t pick him up immediately on Sept. 4.

“I’m not letting them get away with this,” Gilcrease said.

The Denton Record-Chronicle reported Gunner was found near Interstate 35W and West University Drive on the evening of Sept. 3, about 12 miles from home, and a person who found him dropped him off at the shelter. The shelter told KDFW that Gunner couldn’t walk without assistance.

Gilcrease said on social media that Gunner was diagnosed with arthritis and was doing better after he got his dog on medication and changed his diet.

Public outrage

An online petition demanding an investigation into euthanasia practices at the Linda McNatt Animal Care & Adoption Center has already garnered more than 30,000 signatures.

In comments under a council member’s Facebook post and posts made by the shelter, people call for the manager and director to resign, criminal charges to be filed and an investigation to be conducted.

Councilman Brian Beck, who represents Denton’s District 2, made a post over the weekend asking people to stop making death threats, doxxing employees and harassing shelter staff and emergency dispatchers.

One person posted a photo of Gunner from the shelter’s website, the image in a black circle containing the message “#JusticeForGunner In Honor Of Gunner Gilcrease.”