The business page story about the online attacks and threats against the Maine Veterinary Medical Center and its staff leaves me cold. (“Scarborough veterinary clinic gets dogpiled over viral puppy tale” June 14)
As a longtime nurse and advocate for harmed people, I contacted the owner of Jaxx, a German shepherd puppy who was surrendered over a $10,000 veterinary bill, for the rest of the story.
The owner says that she has been threatened, called names, had to block hundreds of messages and shut down her social media because of vitriol, a lot that appears to come from the veterinary community.
Like everyone else, she says she didn’t read the full medical details about Jaxx until she saw the clinic’s news release. She says she only got an abbreviated version of his diagnosis before she signed the paper surrendering ownership.
She says she wanted Jaxx to live, so under great duress, without full details, she signed him away. When police asked the clinic about Jaxx, they said he went to a rescue. She hoped to retrieve him, but he didn’t go to a local rescue. She says that she came up with the money the same day. When she offered payment, her pup was mysteriously “gone.”
Nobody knew that Jaxx had eaten a skewer until an X-ray was done at the MVMC. She was not neglectful or irresponsible. Just a few days earlier, Jaxx was declared healthy by another vet and got his vaccinations. She thought he was sick from his shots. His neutering surgery was prepaid and scheduled.
Funny how all of this detail is left out of the business section article. Too bad the Press Herald doesn’t have a special page for solid, loving dog owners.
Kathy Day
Bangor
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