Vet killed himself when pet owners euthanized animals to save money

A “talented” British vet killed himself with his practice’s euthanasia drugs because wealthy owners callously slaughtered their pets to avoid paying for treatment, his mother said.

Dr. John Ellis, 35, was under significant stress having to kill pets just because their owners were unwilling to surrender for treatment until it was too late to save them, his mother, Tina Ellis, told a court hearing about his death: according to Metro.

He eventually committed suicide by sneaking out of his office with a dose of euthanasia medication large enough to put a large dog to sleep, the coroner was told.

The vet had shared his deep sadness at the animals’ deaths, which he believed could have been easily prevented, his mother told Winchester Coroners Court.

“He found that devastating,” his mother said in court.

“I have someone saying they don’t want to pay to help their animal and they’re standing out there with a brand new car,” the late Hampshire vet told his mother.

“Other people who were really struggling would do anything to save their animals.”

Dr. Ellis told his family that on November 6, 2022, he went to his office to pick up a package, then told a nurse he was picking up medication to put down a friend’s dog at home.

Instead, he went to a friend’s house who was on vacation and administered the deadly drug through an IV. He was later found by the friend whose house he was at.

The inquest heard that the vet also planned to dump his long-term partner, who he had secretly cheated on, and that he suffered from sleep and money problems which led to him sleeping in his car while he was on duty. the outlet reported.

“All these things were piling up and he was finding it difficult,” his mother said at the inquest.

The death was ruled a suicide by Hampshire assistant coroner Simon Burge, who called it ‘a colossal waste of a talented life’.

Dr. Ellis had worked at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, where a Facebook post read: “John was a wonderful person and an incredibly talented veterinarian; Spending time with John has always made your day a better day. He will be terribly missed by all who knew him.”