I hate reading stories about any kind of life being mistreated, and I have a special type of judgement reserved for anyone who abuses animals. Humanity takes animals in as pets, and they look to us for safety and comfort, blindly trusting that we’ll provide it. Unfortunately, people routinely take advantage of that trust, which is what has allegedly happened in Ft. Worth, Texas at the Camp Bowie Animal Medical Clinic.
In 2013, the Harris family brought in their family pet, Sid, for an issue with his anal glands–an unpleasant, but generally treatable issue. Sid returned home after treatment, but a few months later he was unable to move his hind quarters. After contacting the clinic, Sid was reevaluated and the Harrises were told that he had a “congenital spine defect” and there was nothing that could be done. The Harrises said their painful goodbyes, and the vet told them that Sid would be put down.
This should be the end of the story, but 6 months later, a former employee of Camp Bowie contacted the Harrises with some alarming news–Sid had not been put down at all. Instead, according to the employee, he had spent the last 6 months in a small cage, surrounded by his own feces, essentially being kept alive to be used as a blood bank for other animals. The family was outraged and went to the clinic with two friends in tow. Their friends guarded the back door, and the family entered the clinic and found Sid alive and in the conditions described by the former employee. They took Sid home and contacted the authorities.
On April 29th, 2014 the clinic was raided by police and two dogs were taken out as “evidence,” according to the Ft. Worth Police Department. The clinic and its veterinarian Dr. Millard Lucien Tierce (who was placed under arrest) are under investigation for animal cruelty. It is a sad day when people taking a furry family member for health care can lead to abuse and cruelty. Long-time clients still stand by Dr. Tierce and the clinic, but the allegations are certainly not to be taken lightly. People are calling in to see if animals they took in for euthanasia are still alive, and multiple instances of lost paperwork and lack of information are being uncovered. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this story, and whether or not the Camp Bowie Animal Medical Clinic will survive the fallout.
