Cat Taken to Vet for Flea Bath Mistakenly Euthanized

Your pet’s veterinarian’s office should be what your doctor’s office is to you—one of the safest places you can go besides your own home. But for Colleen Conlon and her eight-year-old cat, Lady, that wasn’t the case.

Conlon sent Lady to the vet for a routine flea bath but the cat was instead mistakenly euthanized. According to the Huffington Post (sourced from the Associated Press), Conlon cites that the mistake occurred due to negligence on the part of Lady’s vet, Muhammad Malik.

Lady was delivered to the Broadway Animal Hospital last week by Conlon’s 24-year-old son, Jesse. Conlon’s son thought he was filling out routine paperwork, but mistakenly authorized the cat to be euthanized after being given the wrong forms. The Conlons were made aware of the mix-up when Jesse attempted to take their second cat to the vet, and was asked if he wanted to keep the body of Lady. Needless to say, the Conlons’ second cat was not left at the office.

Conlon now mourns her unexpected loss of Lady, who she adopted from her daughter a year before she was tragically killed in a car accident in 2010.

With such a meaningful connection between Conlon’s lost daughter and Lady, it is easy to see why Conlon seeks to bring light to the case. A complaint has been filed with the state attorney general’s office and Conlon also plans to speak with state licensing officials about the unbelievable incident.

Malik, who has been practicing as a vet for 30 years, has had run-ins with accusations and charges of negligence before; in 2005, a one-year probation period was placed on his license for failing to follow standards during treatment of a dog’s paw in 2002, reports the Telegram & Gazette newspaper. The vet was also required to take an additional 25 hours of continuing education in radiology and orthopedics.

Malik’s lawyer, who urged the public to wait for more information before passing judgment regarding the vet, actually declined to comment on this probation period.

“I don't think there was any malicious intent, but I do think it was negligent,” Conlon told the Telegram & Gazette.

While it is a rare case, the heart-breaking story of the Conlons and their late cat, Lady, serves as a reminder for every pet owner to reread the paperwork before signing at the vet’s office.

What do you think about the accidental death of Lady? How would you react if this happened to your pet? Share your thoughts in the comments below.