| Complaint: | Complaint 19-85 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Rebecca Keil |
| Premises: | Mountain View Veterinary Clinic |
The complainant's cat had started acting lethargic though she was otherwise normal (eating, drinking, using the litterbox, vomiting and diarrhea were absent, skin color was good) aside from some hair loss. His daughter took the cat to see Keil at the clinic. He's surprised when his daughter calls him and says they're being accused of animal abuse. Keil subsequently called him and allegedly said that it was a classic case of animal abuse and unless he pays her to run the necessary tests and treatment or agree to euthanize the cat that she's going to call animal control and report him. He asked how much it would cost and he states that she came up with a "ridiculously high amount" that he couldn't possibly afford. He says he was able to negotiate with her to be able to bring the cat home and have their cat euthanized elsewhere the next day, but she told him that she would only do so on the condition that she received a faxed confirmation from another veterinarian confirming the cat was dead. If she didn't get that she was still going to the cops. They took the cat to another veterinarian (Benitez) who said that he saw no evidence of abuse, just a very old cat, and that he would help them keep the cat comfortable for whatever time was left. He concludes by saying that the cat was enjoying their company and they were enjoying the cat's company, and that if Keil had her way, the cat would be dead. He's concerned this may have happened to other people.
Keil says that she saw the cat a year prior to that visit and that the complainant failed to bring the cat in for follow-up. She claims at that time the daughter asked about euthanasia. The next time she saw the cat was the incident leading to the complaint. She says the daughter was in tears crying about the suffering the cat was going through and said that her dad just wouldn't listen because he thinks the cat is fine. She says that she told the daughter it was neglect to treat the cat in such a way and that they either needed to treat the cat, euthanize the cat, or give the cat to Pima County Animal Control for treatment and adoption. Keil says the medical record shows a pattern of neglect regarding the cat and that threatening to call animal control on people is the only real weapon veterinarians have.
The Investigative Committee says that sometimes veterinarians need to report pet owners for not following their instructions, but they apparently assure us that "it is not taken lightly." They also note that the cat did eventually get care at another premises. The near-brush with death and the marked difference in accounts don't get mentioned here.
| Source: | August 8, 2019 PM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Rebecca Keil | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Adam Almaraz | Aye |
| Amrit Rai | Aye |
| Brian Sidaway | Aye |
| Christine Butkiewicz | Aye |
| William Hamilton | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | September 9, 2019 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Proposed By: | J Greg Byrne |
| Seconded By: | Jessica Creager |
| 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.