Cat which helped man overcome heroin addiction euthanized hours after brought to Humane Society for treatment

Man learns cat was euthanized over money: Recovering addict's beloved cat taken to Humane Society for care was euthanized
by Robert Anglen
AZ Central
Dec. 30, 2011

A cat that helped a Phoenix man overcome his heroin addiction was euthanized just hours after he brought it to an Arizona Humane Society for treatment of a laceration.

Humane Society officials confirmed Tuesday that the 9-month-old cat, named Scruffy, was put down not because of its wounds, but because its owner could not immediately pay for its care.

Scruffy's owner, Daniel Dockery, who had been searching for the cat since taking it to the Humane Society's Campus for Compassion on West Dobbins Road three weeks ago, said he was devastated.

"Now I've got to think about how I failed that beautiful animal," Dockery, 49, said. "I failed her. ... That's so wrong. There was no reason for her not to be treated."