Complaint Review: Hometown Animal Care

All my statements are objective and supported by hard evidence such as authenticated emails, phone records, and medical record. It is important to note that my complaint incorporates a rare opportunity that was given to me when the owner of the business released 2 public statements via email and Yelp. My statement of fact are not hearsay, but referenced directly from his own words.

 On 02/26/14, my mother brought in my cat to Hometown Animal Care in Pflugerville Texas to be seen for health concerns i had been monitoring and attempting to address since the beginning of the month. Hunter is a 1yo pure-breed registered chocolate point Siamese kitten. He was seen by Joni O'Hair, a relief veterinarian and publicly advertised as part time employee of Banfield Pet Hospital in Georgetown Texas. I was informed over the phone that he was diagnosed with gastric blockage and needed immediate emergency surgery. I was given a price of $1000. i ended the conversation so i could verify that i had the necessary funds. I also needed to locate the name of the credit plan i had used a few years ago for another pet that had a large bill. i couldn't remember its name nor the spending limit. Explaining this to Dr. O'Hair, she offered NO assistance, she did not even attempt to suggest the name of the credit plan that Hometown Animal Care uses. It was CareCredit. Same one I had. I located the information and verified i had a $1500 credit. In the 30 minutes it took to call back and approve the surgery, i believe 2 or more staff members saw an opportunity and their action had specific intent to eliminate every option other that the one they desired. Because now Dr. O'Hair began adding aftercare cost, which she had led me to believe was part of the initial cost and should have been discussed up front. The most expensive was the over nigh care he would need and the boarding. I requested to care for him at home due to my past medical experience. I was denied. They left me only one option, to euthanized. I am convince this was the goal, because now she states that there was a way that he could receive all the care he would need....if i relinquished ownership to the Hospital. Phone records will show that Dr. O'Hair took only 6 minutes going over treatment options with me. i was the only one offering solutions, all she did was decline until i came to the last option..the one she wanted me to come to. Having no other choice, thats what i did and shortly thereafter i was on the phone with Christy and asked to verbally agree to their arrangement..all over the phone and under extreme duress and no documentation..then Christy gave me a bill for $185.

i had asked earlier if i had time to see the cat before surgery to say goodbye. I was told it was possible but i would have to hurry. Being so upset, i did not want to drive in my emotional state so i elected to wait for the next day. The next day, i was NOT ALLOWED TO SEE HIM. I did not have permission from the new owner. He had already been adopted.

After 1 and 1/2 months, i could not get over the trauma of these events, i wrote a Yelp review similar to this complaint. No badmouthing or accusatory, just statement of facts. This caught the attention of the hospital which elicited a face to face meeting between myself and the facility owner Dr. Sutton. In that meeting they attempt to convince me that Hunter was near death, they reveal that the services i couldn't afford were never done (ER overnight care) and he was immediately adopted by "Amy" a staff member, in fact he went home with her that night. In the next few days, outraged at their behavior i stated i wanted my cat back, free of charge....i have sense offered to pay him $1500 to end this, he refused. What he did do was release a public statement revealing my full name, details of the medical record and allegations that i was abusive and neglectful to my cat. The public email also contained false statement, statement taken out of context, over exaggeration, statement that conflict with the medical chart. On the second response he couldn't even document the correct date. In a 18 minute phone conversation recorded with my smart phone. he was abusive and ranting. in the medical chart O'Hair doesn't sign anything. And there are no attempts to stabilize or perform any blood work to see if he could survive ..he goes straight to surgery where they anesthetize him and cut him. And then details the hardships of his recovery by alluding it was because of my care and not because he was operated on in a condition that was irresponsible. All the while using it as a back drop to share the special bond and love "Amy" was developing for my pet. Yet he also reveals that despite his critical condition post op ("near death for 5 days") Amy took him home that night instead of going to the emergency over night care....i was not allowed to decline. Furthermore she transports the cat multiple times back and forth between her home and the hospital at the end of February. In spite of the fact the Dr Sutton himself states it was 5 day before his body temperature had elevated to point where they thought he would survive.
Interestingly in the email, he absolves himself of any involvement and specifically states that it was a Dr. Morelli who's idea it was to have me relinquish ownership and it was Dr. Morelli who denied me permission to see my cat the next day, and he specifically brings attention this was due to her making a decision out of fear and emotion not ration and concludes that if it had been him he would have done things differently. This is important because these 2 events have important legal significance for how the law sees relinquishment/abandonment.

What is really suspicious is that he is stating the Dr. Morelli made the decision to take my property on her own. Without permission or approval, committed her employer to cost that were described as 'unable to be determined". All without his knowledge. (i find this hard to believe) Finally, Dr Sutton claims all the hard work, money, resources were DONATED by him to save the cat. it was a selfless act with nothing to gain other than the cat's wellbeing. He make 2 statements to the public like this. But a month later in a police document he let slip that he was in fact PAID for those services.

Currently, this veterinary hospital is being investigated by the State of Texas Veterinary board (TBVME) and submission have been made to several other agencies for focused on consumer protection.

I have alleged unethical conduct, violation of client/doctor relationship, violation of confidentiality, improper maintaining of medical records, conflict of interests (Amy), improper relationship of care giver (Amy) towards patient (pet) and below standard of care. Note: these allegation are not speculation, they are based on medical charts and Dr. Sutton own words.