Friday, March 8, 2013

No Respect for the Dead, No Respect for your Trust: Andrew Manesis Arrested for Dumping Dead Patients Bodies

Bronx veterinarian Andrew Manesis was arrested in spring of 2012 for dumping bodies of dead pets in the brush near the Hudson River. News reports stated that “Andrew Manesis of Animal Clinic & Surgery of Throggs Neck was arrested by Westchester County police following an investigation that began April 5 when the remains of 26 cats, eight dogs and a lizard were discovered in dense brush roughly 10 feet from the Hutch in Harrison, N.Y. .. The pets were wrapped in garbage bags and lobbed into the brush on several occasions from March 2011 to April 2012.”

Pet owners had trusted Manesis to handle their beloved pets remains in a respectful manner, and that’s what they presumably paid for, including one “grieving cat lover” who had paid Manesis to cremate her beloved cat.

What was he handing them back instead of the remains of their pets?

This reminds me of an experience I had while working as a receptionist at a Virginia animal hospital briefly, when a company representative showed up “for a pickup” with a card that said: “We buy bones, meat, fat and gristle.” What was happening to the remains of pets owners entrusted to the hospital to dispose of? I think it’s obvious, and of course, I quit.

How many veterinarians throughout the country disregard people’s emotions about their pets, and sell or dump the dead bodies, all the while pocketing the money they are given for cremation and returning a box of mystery ashes? Or nothing at all? According to the news reports, pet owners had paid $100 to $300 for respectful disposal of their pets remains – surely not to have them tossed as trash.

One thing is for sure: When investigative reports have uncovered disrespectful treatment of human remains, it has received national news attention on night time news magazine shows, and resulted in serious investigations.

Manesis? He was charged in Harrison Town Court with fraud, violation of environmental conservation law and two counts of petit larceny – but all of these charges are mere misdemeanors.

More outrageous still: Although naiive bloggers and news people predicted that the New York State Veterinary Board would take strong and decisive action in this case, we here at Bad Vet Daily are not surprised to see the comment of one recent poster on a news story about this case: “Why is this piece of crap vet still opened?” Well, we can tell you why.

The State Veterinary Board doesn’t care any more about pets, or your feelings, than Andrew Manesis does. Shocking, but absolutely true.

Links:

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/bronx-veterinarian-busted-dumping-dead-pets-hutchinson-river-parkway-westchester-article-1.1086324

http://www.petside.com/article/bronx-vet-faces-more-criminal-action-dumping-pets

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/29/andrew-manesis-dumped-euthanized-animals_n_1553667.html

http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=22752

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Vets Who Take Joy in Tormenting and Killing Animals: Stacy Smith’s Illegal Hunting Ground

In December 2012 Tennessee Veterinarian Stacy Smith pled guilty to running an illegal hunting operation on his property, which he opened for hunting of wild hogs.

While the news stories on this focus on the role of illegal distribution and hunting of wild hogs contributing to environmental destruction, I am seriously disturbed by the idea of any veterinarian taking joy and profit in running a hunting ground of any kind.

The message this send to me is “Let’s torment and kill some animals! Yippee!”

And a sadist who enjoys tormenting and killing animals for profit on their illegal hunting grounds is not someone who I would ever want to be a medical care provider for my pets, much less be alone with them “in the back.” I would never ever ever ever trust such a person, nor do I think anyone else should.

It also makes me wonder what is up with all the sadistic veterinarians in Tennessee who enjoy tormenting animals as they/before they kill them, given that Smith joins “Barbarous Baber” on the Tennessee Veterinary Wall of Shame.

Links:
http://www.wsmv.com/story/20319433/veterinarian-arrested-for-illegal-hunting-ground

http://www.nooga.com/158727/veterinarian-fined-nearly-5000-for-possession-of-wild-hogs/

http://news.tn.gov/node/9970">http://news.tn.gov/node/9970">http://news.tn.gov/node/9970

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/dec/02/outdoors-notes-tennessee-hunters-kill-17093-deer/?print=1