Andrea Rosebrock 
The cruel Gallatin, Tennessee vet, William Baber, who first came under scrutiny when an undercover tape was released exposing his cruel euthanasia methods has now been arrested and is facing 12 misdemeanor charges.
In early November, Baber was videotaped euthanizing dogs and cat by the cruel ‘heart stick’ method without sedating them. Some of the animals suffered cruelly up to 30 minutes before they succumbed to death.
He was shown even stepping on the animals to immobilize them for the injection.
Initially suspended then reinstated, he was finally suspended again and fined in mid-December. The suspension then was to continue until April when the Tennessee Board of Veterinary Medicine would meet again and decide whether to revoke his license permanently.
“Although the veterinarian board had already taken their action relating to Dr. Baber’s license, that doesn’t relieve us of our obligation and our duty to follow through with the law,” Sumner County District Attorney Thomas Dean said. “Where a law’s been broken, we are required to follow through with an appropriate prosecution and that’s what we’re doing.”
Now he’s been arrested and charged. The counts stem from evidence shown on the undercover videotape.
Two counts for the way the cat were treated. Two counts for the euthanasia method used
on the dogs. Four more counts because he didn’t check for sign of life after the injection violating the humane death act. Two more counts because the animals were not sedated prior to the ‘heart stick’ violating the state’s euthanasia law. Two counts for falsifying government records.
He will be in court on January 16 facing the charges, officially listed as;
- Two counts of Unlawful Intracardial Injection of Dogs
- Two counts of Unverified Deaths of Dogs
- Two counts of Unverified Deaths of Cats
- Two counts of Cruelty to Animals – Dogs
- Two counts of Cruelty to Animals – Cats
- Two counts of Falsifying Government Records
He faces a possibility of up to 11 months 29 days in jail for each charge or as little as just probation.
As he said as his disciplinary hearing, Baber still stands by his statement that “he was unaware of state law that prohibited heart shot euthanasias without sedation.”
The statue was changed in 1982 and Baber blames the board for not keeping him updated on the change.
As I said then and will repeat again, maybe I’m wrong but I thought it was up to medical professionals to keep up with medical happenings through medical journals, associations, etc. His excuse s so typical of so many in society today, place the blame on someone else. Well, for all Baber’s blame placing, it looks like the Board ultimately placed the blame squarely where it belonged, on his shoulders! Any medical professional that can’t keep up with what’d going on doesn’t deserve to keep practicing!
Source – WSMV
You are not wrong. It IS up to the professionals themselves to keep abreast of regulatory changes and laws. And a good percent of us who deal with regulatory agencies know that. It’s like “breathing”.
I would not want to give that excuse in front of any regulatory agency, or a judge. I’d be toast.
Thanks AIR, I knew that was the way it worked. Just some really poor CYA on his part. There is no excuse he could give that would minimize or excuse the cruelty of what he did!
I honestly wish the charges could have been more than just misdemeanors! He killed thousands of animals very cruelly and in the end most likely he will wound up with only probation. Just another ’slap on the wrist’ as far as I’m concerned!
His career is toast. It will be tough on his private practice. There is veterinary malpractice insurance too. He’s a liability now. Courts have begun to take claims of veterinary malpractice seriously.
Lets hope this will drive his malpractice insurance costs so high, he’d be better off leaving the profession because he can’t afford it. Somehow, just desserts come from the most unlikely places.
Whoever went in to do the undercover work has a place in even resevred for him/her. I am sorry that some dogs and cats paid the price.
What a horrible way to die. I hope no other animals are treated this way.
Quote from article: ” ” As he said at his disciplinary hearing, Baber still stands by his statement that “he was unaware of state law that prohibited heart shot euthanasias without sedation.” ”
The statue was changed in 1982 and Baber blames the board for not keeping him updated on the change.” end quote….
When I read these two sentences back-to-back… that Baber keeps repeating “not aware of law” and the state “failed to inform him”…. I continue ROTFLMBO.
After all, the law has been in force for 25 YEARS, how can he say he’s unaware of it?
OMG… I’m an accountant (payroll). If I relied on updates from the state (government) to remind me of new regulations and laws… well… you get the picture… I’d be in jail for non-compliance… as well as my employer!
Baber is a true creep… let’s hope he gets the FULL MEASURE of punishment thrown at him!
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Question for anyone: What would keep Baber from closing in shop in TN and setting up a new practice in another state?
I can’t help but wonder if he will relocate to New Hampshire, perhaps become employed at Dover Veterinary Referral Hospital where my own dog was euthanized in my presence with potassium chloride as the only chemical (no humane drug) to end her life. Why did this happen? Because NH is very good at protecting unethical and cruel practice, along with cooperation from all segments of government and legal networks.
Barbara
I just found out they are doing this in Clayton County, GA (near Atlanta). They recently had to do away with their gas chamber and now they are hiring a vet to come in every week. Well, guess what? Last week they did heartstick with no sedation.