St. Louis County Department of Health responds after Faust the dog is euthanized

Cover Image
Photo credit Photo provided/Stray Rescue of St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOX) — The St. Louis Department of Health has responded after a dog, found frozen to the sidewalk, was euthanized Monday.

"Faust" was euthanized after it bit a veterinary technician caring for it at Veterinary Specialty Services in Manchester. This happened just days after a mail carrier found Faust stuck to the sidewalk and in a coma. 

Here's the statement from the St. Louis Department of Public Health:

DPH News: The following statement provides details about recent news revolving around Faust. pic.twitter.com/N5ANwFDpbW

— St. Louis County DPH (@StLCountyDOH) February 12, 2019

The letter points out a Missouri law and St. Louis county ordinance, where dogs showing signs of neurological defects that could indicate rabies can be euthanized immediately. In Faust's case, health officials say Faust "was stumbling, had difficulty lifting herself up and expressed inappropriate neurological responses" and that they "confirmed Faust was suffering and in obvious distress."

In addition, state and county law prohibits the transfer of an animal with potential rabies to any other facility and that same law requires the animal to be euthanized.

The tech that was bit is "receiving attention at a local hospital." In the end, the department defends its decision to euthanize Faust, saying she was put down "in the best interest of the animal and the public."

Faust was microchipped by the City of St. Louis in 2015.

Stray Rescue of St. Louis Founder Randy Grim expressed his outrage over the situation in a Facebook video (language warning):

Grim and Stray Rescue officials held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to further address the situation with Faust: