Just take him out and shoot him????
by Kathryn Primm DVM on 02/21/13
A man came into the hospital this week with his cat in his arms. No one recognized him or the cat, but he said that he needed to be seen by the vet. I was in a procedure with an anesthetized pet and could not leave her, so my staff assessed the cat to make sure he was stable enough to wait for me and then offered the next available appointment time to the man. He then asked what the charge would be for his cat to be seen. The staff member explained the examination charge. The man then loudly proclaimed that the charge was "as much as a real doctor!" He then turned on his heel, declaring that he would "just take him out in the yard and shoot him" and was gone. The staff member was visibly shaken by the encounter.
To that man out there and others like him:
1. I am a real doctor, having attended 4 years of undergraduate study, receiving a BS in Biological Sciences and spending the 4 years in Veterinary School. I rotated through internships and externships and I am a very competent and caring professional, as are all of my staff members.
2. This is a business. We have to pay our staff and vendors to be able to do what we do. If we don't, we won't be here to help any animals or people at all.
And thirdly and most importantly, threatening your pet in order to hurt and get back at us because we did not tell you what you wanted to hear is not acceptable anywhere. It is against the law in Tennessee to "take him out and shoot him" and it is just plain WRONG. When you accepted that pet, you accepted responsibility for his care. If you cannot afford the care, please take him to a shelter so he does not suffer.
Ok, I am stepping off my soapbox now. I must remember that most people are good people and that the few that are not stand out more. There are people who stop for injured animals every day and no one ever knows it. There are people who are grateful every minute for the love of an animal. There are those that recognize our dedication and thank us for what we do. I will not let this man ruin my belief that people with pets are the best people in the world!
Kathryn Primm, DVM
