Woman's will states her dog to be killed, buried with her

AURORA, Ind. -- A recently deceased Indiana woman loved her dog so much, she requested in her last will and testament that her German Shepherd, Bella, be buried with her.

There's just one problem. Bella is still alive.

According to WCPO.com, Connie Lay died on Nov. 25. Her will states that Bella should be euthanized, cremated and buried with her.

"(Lay) made provisions that in the event of her death, she wanted her very close friend to take charge of the dog," Lay's attorney, Doug Denmure, told WCPO. "She also then requested that the dog be put to sleep, cremated and that the dog's ashes be placed with her own ashes."

Denmure said Lay's request to put Bella down is completely legal.

"The dog was owned by my client and now it's part of her estate," Denmure told WCPO. "And those are her wishes, as far as the future of the dog is concerned. Outsiders don't have the grounds to rewrite the provisions of my client's will and impose what they want."

Now, the dog is in the hands of Lay's friends and is being housed at PAWS of Dearborn County Humane Center in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.  Friends have not made a decision on putting Bella down, or perhaps being sending it to Utah, as was an alternative option as stated in the will.

The dog does not interact well with other animals, WCPO.com reports, and is considered by some to be "potentially dangerous."

Since the story aired, many have taken to Twitter with the hashtag #SaveBella.





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