Lehigh Acres Animal "Hospital", under vet Darry Griebel -- a veterinarian with a prior record of violations and disciplinary record with the Florida Veterinary Board, who practices in Lehigh Acres Florida -- has killed a client's two dogs because he had an unpaid $2,000 boarding bill. According to news accounts, the family found themselves unable to pay the bill due to a family medical emergency. But the Veterinary "Hospital" killed the dogs. According to local news reports, he took this action in spite of the fact that a rescue group had come forward and asked for 24 hours to raise the money, as well as offered to take over care of the dogs, after the vet threatened to kill the dogs. In fact, according to the news reports, "dozens of people devoted time and money in hopes of saving that family's dog" to help pay off the debt -- money the vet hospital continued to accept even after they had already killed the dogs.
On August 20th, angry local citizens protested in the rain outside Lehigh Acres Animal "Hospital." News cameras from local station WINK news were there.
"They should be sued, they should be shut down," one protester said.
"I don't think a clinic that practices in this . . . manner has any business being open," said another.
An animal rescue group had asked the vet to give them 24 hours to pay the bill, the report said. But the vet Griebel was unwilling to do that, and killed the dogs -- although reports are that they continued to take money sent in as donations by people hoping their donations would spare the dogs.
"I've been doing rescue for 19 years. I've never seen a case handled like this, never, ever. When someone stepped forward -- a rescue AND a vet clinic -- offering to pay the bill. Why didn't they let us pay the bill today, and the dogs would be alive, and the family would have their dogs back?" asked a clearly emotional Ginny Bashear, rescue group representative.
We couldn't agree with her more.
I ask you -- should a place even be allowed to be called a "hospital" when they kill patients over unpaid bills?
If the hospital killed your child because you had an unpaid balance, what do you think would happen? Do you think they would be shut down by the authorities?
Do you think this place will be shut down by the "authorities" that run the Florida State Board of Veterinary Medicine?
Well, they should be. But they WON'T be. But if those valiant citizens have their way, they just might succeed in doing what the veterinary board SHOULD do, but won't do -- driving them out of business.
Bravo to the caring citizens of Lehigh Acres.
Links:
Angry Protestors Camp Outside Lehigh Acres Vet Hospital, WINK News
Lehigh Animal Hospital Threatens to Put Dogs Down over Bill Dispute
Minutes of Meeting at Which Prior Disciplinary Action Against Griebel is Recorded
