United Kingdom: Veterinarian Kerstin Vockert, 56, convicted of neglecting her dogs so badly one had to have an EYE removed

UNITED KINGDOM -- A vet convicted for neglecting her own dogs so badly one of them had to have an eye removed has been struck off.

Kerstin Vockert, 56, was fined £1,000 last year but today faced further punishment as she is no longer able to practice as a vet.

Vockert, a vet of 19 years, was found guilty of subjecting her two pet dogs to 'chronic and prolonged neglect' following a raid on her home by RSPCA officers in September 2014.

Kerstin Vockert

But her name has now been removed from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' register after a detailed investigation.

Vockert's 11-year-old Shih Tzu, named Happy had to have an eye removed and required extensive treatment after being taken away from her home.

The 56-year-old put her cocker spaniel Millie to sleep after a visit from concerned RSPCA inspectors. A post mortem examination revealed it too had been ill-treated.

Vockert, who was in practice at Ark Aid Veterinary Clinic in Bournemouth, Dorset, was fined almost £1,000 in May after admitting cruelty to the dogs which both had severely matted fur that was caked in mud and feces.

The report of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons hearing which was released today said: 'The committee is concerned that the respondent's conduct failed to demonstrate a full understanding of animal welfare needs which led to a prolonged period of neglect and suffering on the part of the animals.

 

Happy was able to be saved

'The committee is not satisfied that a period of suspension would be sufficient to protect the public, uphold professional standards, promote animal welfare and maintain public confidence on the veterinary profession.

'Accordingly the committee has decided that removal from the register is appropriate and proportionate in this case.'

A vet who examined Happy said an eye had to be removed and a full body shave was required.

He added: 'In my opinion this dog would have been suffering with this extremely severe degree of matting. This level of matting would have represented chronic and prolonged neglect of the basic needs of the dog.'

After being removed from Vockert's home, Happy made a full recovery and was adopted by a family.

Vockert, who is from Germany, originally trained as a medical doctor but retrained as a vet in 1996 before setting up her own practice in Bournemouth in 2008.

She came to the RSPCA's attention in September last year when Happy was found wandering in the road near her home by a member of the public.

When officers went to Vockert's home they found it to be filthy with a strong smell of ammonia.

Although Vockert wasn't there, the officer spotted another dog, Millie, with severely matted fur.

When they returned to speak to Vockert the following day she said she had put Millie down because the dog was 'riddled with cancer'.

She told officers she only groomed her dogs every six months because they didn't like being groomed, however the court was told by two expert vets believed there was at least nine months of growth to Happy's coat.

(Daily Mail - May 31, 2016)