While we're talking about reports of death that are greatly exaggerated, here's one strange story about a false death: When Angela Oaks' pet dog Candy developed tumors in her ears, she reluctantly agreed to have the dog put to sleep as she didn't have any money for surgery.
Eight months later, she found out that the vet never euthanized the dog: another vet performed surgery on Candy and adopted it instead:
"I told my daughter she was in doggy Heaven," Oaks said.
However, eight months after the dog was left to be euthanized, Oaks received a call from the veterinarian, Dr. Peggy Stubblefield. [...]
Oaks found out that Candy was being kept alive.