Senoia police clear animal clinic of charges
Senoia pet owners discover sick pets kept alive after paying for euthanasia
Senoia Police and prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against Senoia Animal Hospital employees who secretly kept sick pets alive and took them home after owners paid for euthanasia.
SENOIA, Ga. - Workers at a Coweta County veterinary hospital will not face criminal prosecution after secretly caring for sick pets whose owners had paid to put them to sleep, police announced.
Senoia police criminal decision
What we know:
Senoia police and prosecutors decided no criminal charges will be filed against a veterinarian and veterinary technician accused of sparing sick pets. While investigators acknowledged serious ethical concerns surrounding the clinic's practices, they concluded the actions did not meet the legal definition of a crime.
Senoia community divided over actions
Local perspective:
The controversy has divided residents across Senoia since becoming public over the summer. Some community members sympathize with families who paid hundreds of dollars and received records confirming euthanasia, while others defend the clinic workers for choosing to preserve animal lives.
Secret care for sick pets
The backstory:
The investigation began after two families learned their ailing pets remained alive long after scheduled euthanasias. Owners of a cat named Annie discovered 18 months later that the feline was living inside the technician's home at over 20 years old.
Senoia Animal Hospital euthanized Annie in August at the family's request, refunded their money with an apology, and returned her body. A second family discovered their pug, Cha Cha, was kept alive for months while the technician secretly treated the dog's diabetes until Annie's case surfaced in August.
Statements on veterinary clinic conduct
What they're saying:
"We feel that there are obviously some ethical concerns regarding the conduct at the Senoia Animal Hospital, but we don't believe that it rises to the level of criminal conduct," Capt. Jason Ercole said. Ercole added, "Ethically, we feel that there is other authorities that could better address these issues, like the State Board of Veterinary Services."
The attorney representing Senoia Animal Hospital released an official statement regarding the situation: "With the developing issues at this time, we have advised (them) not to make any statements regarding these issues - the Hospital has decided to follow our advice. Senoia Animal Hospital looks forward to providing excellent care to its clients and the community."
Coweta County civil court options
What's next:
Police have referred the case to the State Board of Veterinary Services for regulatory review. Officers stated that any further legal action rests with the pet owners in Coweta County civil court, where Cha Cha's family has already filed a state complaint and contacted the local solicitor's office.
Veterinary license questions
What we don't know:
State regulators have not announced whether clinic staff will face administrative penalties, fines, or license revocations. Officials also have not disclosed whether any other pet owners in the area experienced similar situations.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Senoia Police Capt. Jason Ercole, who detailed the findings of the department's inquiry and regulatory referral during an interview with FOX 5 reporter Doug Evans, as well as an official statement from the attorney representing Senoia Animal Hospital and incident reports filed by affected pet owners.