What Would You Do

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OldsGal

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
428
Location
Nebraska
Ok I am torn as to what to do and want your opinions.

I just found out that a rat person that I know in the area here performs neuters in her home. She is a known BYB and has offered to help me out and do some neuters for me. I of course am just blown away and I don't associate with her in any way shape or form.

She explained to me how she does it via e mail and she uses all of the same skills and methods pretty much that my own vet uses. However, she is doing them out of her home.

I am seriously considering turning her in. She isn't one of the really nasty BYBs that puts out 30 litters a year. She only does one or two a year so she isn't on my hit list so much for BYB. Granted I don't approve but there are worst ones out there.

What would you do?

Staci
 
I would report her .... she should not be doing surgery on animals.
I doubt she has the skills and knowlege if something was complicated or went wrong.
I don't understand how she would have the proper equiptment, etc. either.
 
Report her. Please.

For one thing, it's virtually impossible to achieve proper surgical sterility in the home environment. As a result, the neuters are far more likely to abscess.
For another thing, the anaesthetics that vets use to safely immobilize and reduce pain are generally illegal for the layman to possess. She may be using these anaesthetics illegally, but it's more likely that she's performing surgery using substandard or even no anasthesia.
 
Would your opinion change any if I told you the person doing this was highly regarded in the rat community? But still did not have any formal education or a license.

Staci
 
that is horrible!! and i am a vet tech capable of doing some minor surgery like that on my own rats i would never dream of doing it at home. first of all to me its no different then neutering a dog. i have done abscess repairs(draining), teeth trimming that kind of thing at home.
please report her to spca as a rat neuter is not like a cat neuter and possible to do at home if you know what youre doing even then...........
 
Ahh fun. I asked her to throw it out there somewhere and see what came up.

The call was made. People showed up. Evidence was not on hand. Other people and animals had already vacated the area and that is that. It is a damned if you do and damned if you don't because one day someone is going to say things or be caught doing things and if it was the BYB doing it they would be condemned by others in our community, unfortunately it's not the BYB and so it will continue as there are many that worship such individuals.

What's worse is that individuals involved teach other individuals how to do such surgeries at home on the kitchen table, wherever. Owners like myself and you who have these pets whether they just got the pets or have been involved for years can learn such things if there is an interest.

Last time I checked there was a reason why we go to the vet to have these things done and also for the sterility of the situation.

I am appalled. And I wish others would see things in this way, but it is not the case.
 
things like home operations should definitely be reported, regardless of the status of the person. even if the person was a licensed vet doing surgeries at home, i would report them. the home is not a sterile enough place, you cannot have the proper equipment in a home, it is no place for surgeries.

there is a lot that you can do on your own at home, like flushing abscesses, extra supplements for sick or pregnant animals, even a birth can be handled at home so long as there are no complications. but in no way can surgeries be done at home. regardless of education you still need the proper equipment and environment, which is simply not possible in a home environment.

i'm glad that this person was reported but i'm sorry nothing could be done about it. if there were emails and such of this person outlining the procedure and agreeing to do it for others, then you might have some evidence, but really, unless you catch the person in the act or are able to confiscate an animal that clearly shows an unprofessional operation has been done, this is going to be hard to prove. it is for this lack of evidence that i'm sure other people have gotten away with such horrible acts. i can think of at least one that i heard of but can not prove... though, can't they check records? i mean the vet should have a record on the animal if its been seen and had anything done. if they don't have the record at the vet the person claims to have used then that should be proof enough. though i guess the person could always just claim that the rat cam into their possession as is.... you wouldn't think it would be this hard to prove but as it turns out...

of course the other dimension is the social one when the person doing the home operations is of high regard. i don't know how a person doing such a horrible thing can get to have a high regard, but the repercussions of such a person would be far reaching. from being personally ousted in the community to that person influencing and "teaching" others to do the same acts. its a horrible situation
 
The actual status of the animals could not be determined as I do not know the people whom owned them and brought them. Though I would tend to agree, a vet should be able to examine them and say whether something was recently done.

I do know that the situation was also discussed a few months ago over email by the same individual in that they were coming into the area to teach someone else how to do the surgery and if anyone else in the vicinity had tumors that needed to be removed the procedure could be completed that day without a fee being involved for the surgery. I am not aware as to how many people that email went to, but someone may still have a copy. It was months ago however, and that email is no longer in the inbox here.
 
Report her.

This is quite illegal under federal law and assuming she's using painkillers for her "patients" post surgery, she's putting her source, presumably her veterinarian, in a whole lot of trouble as well. For a vet to provide medication without seeing the actual patient is enough to be reported and depending on the extent of the offense, could have his or her license revoked, in her case, by the AVMA. The person performing surgery or distributing medication in lieu of a licensed veterinarian can be charged or be put in jail.

If the person is selling or distributing a licensed drug and is not a DVM, then it IS considered practicing without a license and that is a criminal offence. If the CVO (for Canadians) becomes aware of it, they would prosecute.

This isn't even to mention the little detail of, "What will she do if something goes wrong?" She doesn't have the proper education and sending a rat to her, in my opinion, would be irresponsible. The DVM title exists for a reason and I'm not sure enough people (her as a great example) respect it.

Edit: Annnnd apparently the report was made. Good on you!
 
What a horrific thought. The person may be well-regarded by people who see only the surface. There is something so arrogant about a person who would risk the lives and the pain of helpless animals. As far as I know, somebody qualified should be monitoring the level of anaesthesia while a qualified vet does the surgery. There is so much that can go wrong, even under sterile conditions with qualified people.
Bad surgery can cause a lot of pain afterwards, too.

This person is getting anaesthetic and meds illegally, and she has a dangerous over-estimation of her skills. As I often do, I find myself thinking "who would be an animal?". It is heartbreaking to think how many people think it's OK to experiment with them just because they can't fight back.

I'm glad that someone reported her, even if it did not solve the problem.
 
Every few years, someone like this will pop up in the rat community. Luckily, I don't think you see it as often in the cat and dog community, but rodents are unfortunately easier to do this to.
I would report them as well, although I can understand your reluctance when they are someone regarded with respect in the community.
I wish you could get a hold of some of those emails and send them off to the people who investigated.
 

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