Cedar City Family Is Devastated After Vet Accidentally Euthanized Their Dog During a Routine Allergy Visit

Cody Zylks was holding Lilly while the vet gave the shot. She went limp in his arms.

He asked what was wrong. The answer broke him.

What the Family Says Happened

Cody and Amy Zylks brought two animals to Dr. Zachary Francisco’s Cedar City clinic on Friday. Remy, their other dog who had recently died of old age, was there for cremation services. Lilly, their 9.5-year-old Yorkie, was there for a routine allergy shot.

Cody confirmed the allergy shot at the front desk. He held Lilly in the exam room while the shot was administered.

The Moment Everything Changed

Lilly went limp. Cody asked why.

“The doctor says, ‘Well, we euthanized her,'” Amy told Fox 13.

The family says Francisco told them on a follow-up call that the clinic had mixed up shots because a cat had come in to be euthanized the same day.

According to the Zylks, Francisco sent a written statement admitting to a “major error” and offering his “sincerest apologies.” Fox 13 reached out to his office to verify the statement but has not received a response.

The alleged line that’s hardest to move past: “I can’t bring her back. I’ll just buy you a new dog.”

How This Type of Error Happens

This is not the first documented case of a wrong-patient injection in veterinary medicine.

As Fox 13 reported on Lilly’s case, the mix-up allegedly happened because a second animal was already in the clinic for euthanasia that same day. That kind of overlap, two high-stakes procedures back to back, is exactly the situation veterinary error research flags as high risk.

Studies show medication errors account for between 55% and 69% of all reported errors in veterinary medicine, and “wrong drug to wrong patient” is a documented category. Running cremation services and medical care from the same clinic on the same day adds a layer of distraction that error literature consistently calls out.

Quick response and the right protocols make all the difference in a pet emergency, as we saw when Pasadena firefighters revived a Sheltie pulled unconscious from a burning home, where following the right steps saved a life.

Have you ever asked your vet to confirm exactly what they’re giving your pet before the injection? After reading this, would you? Tell me in the comments.

Why This Matters

Amy and Cody cannot have children. Their dogs are their family. They lost Remy and Lilly on the same day.

There is no national mandatory error reporting system in veterinary medicine. According to the AVMA’s published analysis of veterinary medical errors, 73.8% of veterinarians have witnessed at least one near miss in a 12-month period, and 54% of errors in one study were drug-related. Most go unreported.

Community support for animals matters more than ever. Events like the Del Mar Dog Surf-a-Thon raise thousands for shelter pets and remind us that most people show up for animals when it counts.

In Utah, pet owners can file a complaint with the state’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. Pets are legally property, which limits civil damages, but a DOPL complaint can trigger a license review.

Key Takeaways

• Lilly, a 9.5-year-old Yorkie, was allegedly euthanized instead of receiving an allergy shot in Cedar City on Friday.
• The vet allegedly admitted to a “major error” in a written statement shared by the family.
• Wrong-patient medication errors are a documented problem in veterinary medicine.
• Utah pet owners can file complaints with DOPL at dopl.utah.gov.
• Dr. Francisco’s office has not responded to Fox 13’s request for comment.

She Was Still a Perfectly Healthy Dog

That’s what Cody said. And he’s right. There was no reason for Lilly to die that day.

This case is still developing and we’ll update as more information becomes available. If you’ve had an experience at a vet that concerned you, share it in the comments.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Details are based on claims made by the Zylks family and reporting by Fox 13. Dr. Francisco’s office has not publicly responded. This is not legal advice.