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Veterinarians in the NEWS
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Lucky Riff (Florida)
Read about Lucky the Dog in Florida News
Dr. Marcel Christiaan-Rauch
Dead vet's $1.7 million home may be seized, (Perth) thewest.com.au, March 7, 2007
Vet dies before manslaughter, sex abuse trial, PerthNow, news.com.au, March 6, 2007
More below, under Australia
Kitten Helps Collar Man Accused of Being Fake New York City Veterinarian, canada.com, February 12, 2006
Homeless cat from Brooklyn poses as would-be patient to nab Steven Vassall, former veterinary lab assistant, arrested while carrying cat in a box and cash for surgery.
Owner contacted authorities after dog survived botched operation.
Alleged victim says fake vet "seemed like a genuinely nice guy."
Veterinarian Charged with Cruelty (New York), Dec. 30, 2005
Ronald Peters, DVM,Greenwich, NY
o Indicted by Washington County grand jury on misdemeanor count of animal cruelty for failure to provide, among other things, proper medical care
o REPEAT
OFFENDER ALERT: In 1999, Peters was convicted of several misdemeanors
for falsely billing the town of Greenwich for disposing of stray dogs.
Instead of proper disposal, Peters dumped them on the side of a road.
(Source: www.northcountrygazette.org)
Clay County (Florida) Vet Charged with Animal Cruelty
Scott Reed, DVM, Creekside Veterinary Clinic, Middleburg, Florida
o Had previously shown aggressive behavior toward animals at other hospitals where he worked
o Arrested earlier this year for domestic violence
(Source: www.news4jax.com)
Authorities said that Scott Reed, 44, a vet at Creekside Veterinary Clinic in Middleburg, got upset last month when a 43-pound mixed chow he was treating bit him. According to the arrest warrant, Reed grabbed the dog's leash from an assistant, hanging the animal in the air, and kicked it several times. Read full story
Vet's License Revoked (Minnesota)
Todd Varnes, DVM, Blaine, Minnesota
o License suspended earlier for violations
o Had 'problems' with anger, knocked employee against wall
o Board slaps him with civil penalty and investigation costs
The board says among other things, Varnes removed a dog’s toenail with no anesthetic, didn’t sterilize equipment, and didn’t properly store vaccines, and knocked an employee, Sheryl Schommer, against a wall. “He did have a problem with anger. I was walking to the back, because I had asked him a question for a client, and he knocked me right into the wall, and just kept walking past, like he didn’t see me.” Read full story
(Source:
Fox9 News, WSMP, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Bruce Wolf, DVM
The Curious Case of the Cat in the Incubator : A case of feline mistaken identity reveals the limits of the state veterinary board's usefulness to pet owners. freetimes.com, 2005
UNITED STATES
ALABAMA
Bruce Nelson Young, DVM
Veterinarian Arrested on Drug Charges (Athens), WAFF.com, Nov. 23, 2003
ARIZONA
Vet Arrested in Chihuahua's Beating, (Phoenix) readingeagle.com, June 11, 2007
CALIFORNIA
Craig Bergstrom, DVM:
Jury Awards Dog Owner $39,000 in Vet Suit, Los Angeles Times, latimes.com, February 24, 2004
Precedent-Setting Ruling Recognizes Animals’ Value, In Defense of Animals News Release, February 24, 2004
Dog Owner Gets $39,000 in Vet Suit, Orange County Register, ocregister.com, February 21, 2004
Robert L. Rooks, DVM, All-Care Animal Referral Center:
Veterinarian Placed On Probation, Fined for Using Technicians Improperly, Misrepresenting ‘Specialists’ California Department of Consumer Affairs, September 9, 2003
Nolan Sharp, DVM:
Suit Yields Judgment for Pet Loss, Contra Costa Times, Nov, 2, 2003
Denny Nolet, DVM:
Pain and Suffering: Veterinary Malpractice Lawsuit Challenges the Notion that Pets Are Merely Property, Sacramento News & Review, May 31, 2001
Steroid Suppliers Busted in Huge Hit, San Diego Union-Tribute, December 16, 2005
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WASHINGTON DC
Zoo Worker Whose Care Was Criticized Fails Exam for U.S Veterinary License washingtonpost.com, September 3, 2006
John Willie, DVM:
When Pets Die at the Vet, Grieving Owners Call Lawyers USA Today, March 15, 2005
Lawsuit for Lucky: Can a Vet Be Sued for Emotional Injuries? abcnews.com, August 22, 2003
Courts Warm Up to Pet Owners' Suits, National Law Journal, law.com, July 21, 2003
Dog's Owners Entitled to Sue Veterinarian for Pet's Death in Potential Landmark Case, reprinted from Orlando Sun-Sentinel, July 1, 2003
Dog Death Prompts Malpractice Suit, cbsnews.com, June 25, 2003
The Miami Herald, herald.com, June 5, 2003
More FLORIDA News
Animal Clinic of Brandon
Woman Blames Vet Tech for Puppy's Blind and Deaf Condition (Seffner), ABC Action News. tampabaylive.com, Nov. 12, 2003
Lloyd Meisels, DVM, Coral Springs Animal Hospital:
Pet’s Owner, Animal Hospital in a Dogfight Over Big Bill (Coral Springs), The Miami Herald, herald.com, August 5, 2003
Dog Owner, Vet in ‘Pooched’ Battle (Coral Springs), nbc6.net, August 5, 2003
Adel Assad, DVM:
Veterinarian Suspended After Neutering Surgery (Ocala), WKMG-TV, local6.com, Sept. 20, 2002
Earl Shobert, DVM
Vet Accused of Mistreating Pets (Tampa), ABC Action News, tampabaylive.com. Nov. 13, 2001
Veterinarian's Past Catches Up with Him St. Petersburg Times, April 26, 2001
County Faces Suit in Kitten's Death, John Cote, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Feb. 14, 2006
A Royal Palm Beach couple filed notice Monday that they intend to sue Palm Beach County for more than $50,000 after a county veterinarian killed their kitten by implanting a microchip in its spine.
"There is malpractice for medical doctors... But veterinarians, they seem to get away with it because it's never raised..."
GEORGIA
Emmett Ashley
Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine Suspends Bonaire Veterinarian Charged with Animal Cruelty, Secretary of State News, April 15, 2002
KENTUCKY
Gary Edlin, DVM
Man Sues Vet Over Dog's Death (Louisville), courier-journal.com, July 18, 2005
MAINE
John Carmody, VMD
Lebonan Veterinarian's License Suspended After Abusing Animals, News 8 WMTW
Dr. Arthur Cutter
Veterinarian Under Fire (Stratham), seacoastonline.com, August 5, 2005
Officials: N.H. Vet Violated Maine Law, seacoastonline.com, August 1, 2005
MASSACHUSETTS
Hamilton Lincoln III, DVM
Methuen Veterinarian Agrees to License Probation, Division of Professional Licensure, February 11, 2005
MICHIGAN
Steven J. Ginsberg, DVM:
Veterinarian suspended, fined, over animal care, wwmt.com, January 9, 2006
Kalamazoo veterinarian suspended again, mlive.com, January 11, 2006
CIS Suspends Kalamazoo Veterinarian’s License, Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services, August 23, 2001
No Criminal Charges Against Veterinarian; State Probe Continues, Kalamazoo Gazette, Nov. 17, 2000
Kalamazoo Veterinarian Charged in State Case, Kalamazoo Gazette, Sept. 13, 2000
Local Vet Focus of State Probe, Kalamazoo Gazette, Nov. 28, 1999
Brian Gregory Biggers, DVM:
CIS Suspends Indiana Veterinarian’s License Due to Convictions, Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services, Feb. 7, 2002
Kerry Lynn McHenry, DVM:
CIS Summarily Suspends Davison Veterinarian’s License Due to Substance [Abuse], Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services, June 19, 2003
MINNESOTA
Mohammed Shahidullah, a.k.a. "Dr. Sam" and "Sam Ulland"
License of Former Local Veterinarian Revoked, Winsted-Lester Prairie Journal, October 27, 1997
Todd Varnes, DVM
Vet's License Revoked, Fox 9 News, Minneapolis/ St. Paul
NEVADA
Alan Ruegamer, DVM
Pair Sentenced in Attempted Murder, Las Vegas Review-Journal, August 4, 1998
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Roland Huston, DVM
Veterinarian Loses Supreme Court Appeal (Nashua), nashuatelegraph.com, Dec. 30, 2003
NEW JERSEY
Howard Baker, DVM:
Veterinarian Loses Lawsuit Against PETA, Investigator, animalrights.net, March 3, 2004
Gregory P. Kerrick, DVM
Dover Veterinarian Sentenced to Probation, Psychiatric Treatment, (Toms River, NJ) Newark, Asbury Park Press, app.com, March 17, 2006. "...erratic behavior demonstrates an extensive pattern of violent conduct to animals, clients and employees, gross negligence in his treatment of an animal and extremely poor judgment."
Suspended Ocean County Veterinarian Pleads Guilty to Contempt of Court Sentenced to Probation, Office of the Attorney General, New Jersey, March 16, 2006
also http://www.allbusiness.com/government/3570543-1.html?yahss=114-3470923-3570543
Vet charged in violent and abusive conduct, pet-abuse.com, September 21, 2005
In one case the board was told he threatened to cut the
heart out of a client.
In another he was reported to have picked up a dog by the tail and kicked
and punched it until it howled.
On April 27, 2005 Kerrick agreed to stop practicing as of May 7 and get a
psychiatric evaluation.
According to the suit, he resumed his practice "almost
immediately," and his behavior continued. [Source: pet-abuse.com]
John R. Witmer, DVM:
Troopers Trot-Out Horseracing Arrests, (West Trenton), New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, April 3, 2006
NEW YORK
Larry Mauer, DVM
Routine Visit to Vet Proves Deadly for Playful Puppy (Monticello), Times Herald-Record, Sept. 30, 2003
Marco Zancope, DVM
Veterinarian Accused of Helping Woman Kill Self , Times Herald-Record (AP Story), Oct. 15, 1998
NORTH CAROLINA
Kevin Monce, DVM/Dana Jones, DVM:
Dog’s Tale Fills 1,500 Pages (Raleigh) The News & Observer, Oct. 16, 2002
Sisters Decry Vet Board (Raleigh) The News & Observer, May 5, 2003
OHIO
Diane Cummins, DVM
Veterinarian Charged with Animal Cruelty (Lebanon), Cincinnati Enquirer, May 7, 2002
Bruce Wolf, DVM
The Curious Case of the Cat in the Incubator : A case of feline mistaken identity reveals the limits of the state veterinary board's usefulness to pet owners. freetimes.com, 2005
PENNSYLVANIA
Edward Frankel, DVM
Hearing Held for Veterinarian (West Chester), dailylocal.com, November 10, 2006
Sean K. Saltsburg, DVM
Vet Gets Probation for Beating Horses , abc27.com, July 12, 2005
Vet Charged with Beating Horses (Bucks County), phillyburbs.com, February 25, 2005
SOUTH CAROLINA
Nanette Anderson
Vet Clinic Owner Arrested Again, myrtlebeachonline.com, June 13, 2007
Stan Gorlitsky, DVM:
Veterinarian Retires After Complaint, thestate.com, July 23, 2004
Senator Blocking Bill to Regulate Veterinarians, thestate.com, June 2, 2004
Veterinarian Law Gets Backing (Columbia), abcnews4.com, June 2, 2004
Veterinarian Suspended for One Year (Lowcountry), thestate.com, July 26, 2002
Secret System Hides Concerns on S.C. Veterinary Care (Mount Pleasant), thestate.com, July 21, 2002
Thomas Sheridan, DVM:
Caretaker Concerns (Charleston), counton2.com, November 28, 2006
The Revolution Will Be Blogged, Charleston City Paper, November 22, 2006 "More than five years ago, Zotto collected a group of animal owners and a coworker and filed a civil suit against local veterinarian Thomas Sheridan, claiming he had abused and killed several animals and caused her and her coworker emotional distress because he did it in front of them. Criminal charges against Sheridan were dismissed and he would eventually settle the civil suit out of court."
TENNESSEE
Jerry Truitt, DVM, Collierville, Tennessee
Couple says vet 'faked' dog's death, abcnews.go.com, November 11, 2005
TEXAS
Roque Gonzalez, DVM
Animal Care Services Fires Head Veterinarian, San Antonio, KSAT-TV, ksat12.com
City Veterinarian Investigated by TroubleShooters, San Antonio, woai.com, November 20, 2006
William Lammers, DVM
Death by the Pound, San Antonio Express-News
Jonathan Ward Brooke, DVM
Kerrville Veterinarian Charged in Child Sex Crime Office of the Attorney General, Texas
Wendi Mae Davidson, DVM
Veterinarian Sentenced to 25 Years for Husband's Murder, (San Angelo), JAVMA News, December 1, 2006
Roque Gonzales, DVM
Animal Care Services Fires Head Veterinarian, San Antonio, KSAT-TV, ksat12.com
City Veterinarian Investigated by TroubleShooters, San Antonio, woai.com, November 20, 2006
Penny Kelso, DVM
Viewer [sic] React to Disciplined Lubbock Veterinarian (Texas), kcbd.com, June 4, 2007
William Lammers, DVM
Death by the Pound San Antonio Express News, series
Scott Weeks, DVM
Veterinarian Charged in Child Sex Crime (San Antonio), ksat.com, June 1, 2006
San Antonio Vet Faces Child Sex Crime Charges, ksat.com, June 1, 2006
Mircea Volosen, DVM:
Whatever happened to Dr. Dachshund Killer?
Remember Mircia Volosen, DVM, the dog killer in Colleyville, Texas, who bludgeoned to death not one but two dogs
in two separate incidents that he claimed were after his chickens (or was it rabbits? His story seems to change...) First he killed a Labrador, then a miniature
dachshund (while the dog was walking back to her owner, Volosen's neighbor who
called his dog back when he realized she had gotten into Volosen's yard) claiming he had to defend his livestock (the aforementioned chicken-rabbits). For a while it looked like there would be justice, with a criminal conviction
(yay!) of felony animal cruelty. But no. As usual, vets and money speak louder than actions.
Volosen appealed the verdict, and his animal cruelty conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeals, Texas, Fort Worth.
Read the coverage on him -- and then the killer ending:
Mircia
Volosen, DVM, Guilty of Animal Cruelty
http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/showthread.php?53526-Vet-guilty-of-animal-cruelty&s=d8964b6bdd7c9db36113c26cf3e1a059
More on Dr. Dog-Killer
http://www.inhumane.org/data/MVolosen.htm
More on Dr. Dog-Killer here
http://www.localnewsonly.com/01newlno/clvnews/04_07_14vettrial.htm
Vet Indicted in Dog's Death (Colleyville, TX)
star-telegram.com, Sept. 4, 2003
http://lists.envirolink.org/pipermail/ar-news/Week-of-Mon-20030901/005906.html
It's also not the first time this vet has killed an animal
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=1399507&mesg_id=1400510
Neighbors Protest Vet's Office After Dog's Death
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-105139206.html
Was Mircia Volosen Acquitted?
http://www.animallaw.info/cases/caustx2006wl349713.htm
Court of Appeals of Texas, Fort Worth, Overturns Guilty Verdict
http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?page=1&xmldoc=2006789192SW3d597_1765.xml&docbase=CSLWAR2-1986-2006&SizeDisp=7
And where is this dog killer now? Well, lucky us. He's right here in San Antonio, practicing at Becker Animal Hospital.
Related:
Michael C. Becker, DVM
Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, Disciplinary Action Against Michael C. Becker, DVM, San Antonio, for Statute
Violation in Controlled Substance Recordkeeping. See
Negotiated Settlement, Summary of Charges, and Disciplinary Action by the TBVME
here [Source: Public Record, Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners,
Austin]
VIRGINIA
Lock Boyce, DVM
Patrick County Vet Fined After Cat's Death , roanoke.com, July 28, 2005
WASHINGTON
Shelton Veterinary Hospital
Veterinary Technician Reprimanded (Shelton), theolympian.com, March 30, 2002
INTERNATIONAL
AUSTRALIA
Dr. Marcel Christiaan-Rauch
Dead vet's $1.7 million home may be seized, (Perth) thewest.com.au, March 7, 2007
Vet dies before manslaughter, sex abuse trial, PerthNow, news.com.au, March 6, 2007
Also http://www.sundayterritorian.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,21334221%255E1702,00.html Northern Territory News March 6, 2007
Vet faces manslaughter trial, PerthNow, www.news.com.au
Perth vet accused over teen death linked to animal drugs, abcnewsonline.com, abc.net.au, August 11, 2005
Police seek vet over teenager’s death (Perth), abcnewsonline.com abc.net.au, August 9, 2005
Vet gets bail on overdose death charges, abcnewsonline, abc.net.au, November 3, 2005
Warning - Mahmoud Kalil, DVM, barred from
practicing in the United States, under investigation in Australia
Vet Is Investigated, The Daily Telegraph, January 23, 2006
Complaint leveled at Modesto pet hospital, modbee.com, June 17, 2005
CANADA
Dr. Boyd Taylor
Vet Calls Cat Attack Self-Defence (Halifax, Nova Scotia) CNews, Sept. 10, 2000
[Unnamed vet]
Investigation Shows the Hidden Horror of Egg Barns in Canada
"Government and industry are constantly reassuring consumers that things are better for farm animals here in Canada. We have long suspected that’s not the case and now we have the proof. This footage shows filthy, disgusting, hideously abusive conditions. The fact that the farm is owned by a veterinarian makes it even more disturbing." – Debra Probert, Vancouver Humane Society
ISRAEL
Protecting the Abusers, haareetz.com, Israel, April 30, 2007
"The ministry claims this is a matter of professional supervision
of investigative procedures and that the Veterinary Services is the body
most suited for this task. In practice, however, it amounts to a sort of
immunity.
"Instead of mobilizing for the active
and systematic protection of animals that are subject to exploitation and
cruelty in so many cases, the Agriculture Ministry is mainly engaged in
protecting the authority that it fails to exercise in any case, or in
covering up for veterinarians who have needlessly mistreated
animals." more
KOREA
Pet Owners Find No Redress for Veterinarian Negligence (Korea). The Korea Times, August 24, 2005
GREAT BRITAIN
Vet Struck Off After Amputations, BBC News, May 6, 2005
Vets Who Cause Suffering to Face Penalties, newstelegraph.co.uk, August 31, 2003.
Vets Accused of Appalling Cruelty, newstelegraph.co.uk, March 1, 2003.
See more articles at Mcghee's Veterinary Info Page