A woman has spoken of her devastation after vets accidentally euthanised her cat.
Michelle Olson had taken her eight-year-old Sophie to Suburbia North Animal Hospital, in Houston, Texas, where she was due to get her rabies vaccination.
But instead of the routine visit, vets at the centre gave Sophie the wrong injection and she later died.
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Speaking to ABC 13 about her devastation, Ms Olson said: "Every time I close my eyes, I see that look on her face and I just can't get it out of my head."
She and her husband had just picked Sophie up and were on their way home when they received a panicked phone call from the hospital.
Looking back at that harrowing moment, Ms Olson said: "It was the doctor herself calling saying, 'Please get Sophie back here immediately, we gave her euthanasia instead of a rabies vaccine'.
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"I immediately took her out of her cat carrier and I held her, talked to her, because I knew that was going to be the last thing she would remember. I knew she wasn't going to come back at that point. I just knew it.
"She pretty much was dying in my arms."
Despite the best efforts of the vets to save Sophie's life, she died.
And though she accepts that they are sorry for their grave error, Ms Olson told the publication that she is utterly devastated.
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She said: "They're very sorry, that's all they can say really. It was an accident, I get that, but it was an accident that should've never happened.
"My main concern is not to bash them at all, just want to make public aware to be vigilant, ask questions that you didn't think you had to ask of your veterinarian so this doesn't happen to anyone else."
After being contacted for a comment by ABC 13, staff at the hospital accepted that the tragic incident happened, but added that they had been advised not to comment.
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This isn't the first story of a pet going before their time.
Last year, a woman in the US had her dog put down so they could be buried together.
Brown and white Shih Tzu mix Emma was brought to Chesterfield Animal Shelter in Richmond, Virginia, in early March following the death of her owner.
The dog - which was described as healthy and well-pampered - spent the next fortnight there, during which volunteers pleaded with the executor of the deceased woman's estate not to go through with the euthanasia of the pooch. However, their appeals were ignored.
Featured Image Credit: abc13