| Complaint: | Complaint 19-55 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Suzanne Higgins |
| Premises: | Deer Creek Animal Hospital |
The complainant says that during a working interview he was attacked by a pit bull. After that happened the complainant says he was taken to the back of the hospital by the general manager, McLamb, where a technician cleaned his wounds and gave him an orange pill. He was also given some take-home medication prescribed by Higgins and said he was concerned as Higgins wasn't even there that day. He included photos that we don't get to see.
Higgins says that she wasn't there that day. She says that the complainant claims a dog bit him and the office manager offered to take him to urgent care. She also says a staff member offered to clean the wound, but she doesn't know if that ever happened. She says he later went to urgent care, but they never got a doctor's report. The medications he had were actually for her dog and were absent went she went to get them. She also says that the complainant's lawyer contacted the clinic to get information on the dog's owner to try and sue them, and that the complainant is a bad guy who has a restraining order out against him for harassing a former employee "while dating [a] different girl." According to Higgins he's also claimed he got bitten by a second dog as well, and that it's thought he falsified it; if it did happen, it's his fault as apparently, he encourages dogs to play rough. She believes the complainant and his witness are both angry for being fired.
This case was also handled by the Investigative Division rather than by a Committee. One interesting point in the findings of fact has to do with the medications. Higgins said that the complainant must have stolen medications intended to treat osteomyelitis. She said she noticed they were gone on August 15, 2018. The findings of fact state that Higgins' medical records show neither of the medications were dispensed on August 14 or August 15. According to the records the dog wasn't even diagnosed with osteomyelitis until September. The Board found no violations.
This seems to match a lot with what was said in 19-42, on which the board also took no action.
| Source: | March 3, 2019 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Suzanne Higgins | Respondent |
| Proposed By: | Nikki Frost |
| Seconded By: | Christina Bertch-Mumaw |
| Roll Call: | |
| Christina Bertch-Mumaw | Aye |
| Darren Wright | Aye |
| J Greg Byrne | Aye |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Aye |
| Robyn Jaynes | Aye |
| Sarah Heinrich | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
The primary source for the above summary was obtained as a public record from the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board. You are welcome to review the original records and board meeting minutes by clicking the relevant links. While we endeavor to provide an accurate summary of the complaint, response, investigative reports and board actions, we encourage you to review the primary sources and come to your own conclusions. In some cases we have also been able to reach out to individuals with knowledge of specific complaints, and where possible that information will be included here.