Vet who pretended to euthanized dog with seizures is being sued!

An American couple who thought they were watching their epileptic dog being euthanased actually witnessed a simple sedation concocted so the veterinary clinic could give the dog someone else, they claim in a lawsuit.

Dana and Gary Ganyer said they cried while watching what they thought was the death of Annie, a two-year-old German shepherd that had increasingly frequent and debilitating seizures.

But in a lawsuit they contend Annie was not euthanased in February 2005 at a veterinary clinic in Pennsylvania.

Instead, the lawsuit says, the dog was given a sedative to make it appear she was dead. The clinic then gave Annie to a new owner, who cared for the dog until he had her euthanased on November 2, according to the lawsuit.

"When I heard she was still alive I literally screamed and went into hysterics and I was in shock for three days," Dana Ganyer said. "My nerves were totally torn up that this vet could do this."

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, accuses the clinic and three of its employees of fraud, negligence and defamation. A lawyer for the clinic did not return a call.

On June 30, the Ganyers received a call from the former clinic employee, who told them Annie was still alive.

A few days later they drove to the new owner's home in Philadelphia. The Ganyers told the man that they were Annie's rightful owners, but he refused to give her back.

The new owner, Gene Rizzo, said the dog had seizures every few weeks, but between them "she was perfectly normal".

Annie was euthanased after Rizzo said she lapsed into a coma-like state for two days and his veterinarian told him the dog was "really suffering".