Louisville, Ky. Oct 29 - (WHAS11) - A Louisville woman is suing a local veterinary clinic. She claims a groomer beat her dog to death at what was supposed to be a routine grooming visit.
Lisa Sheilds says she had been taking her dogs to St. Matthews Animal Clinic for years, and never had a problem.
But she says she did have a problem the last time she was there and two years later, she's still trying to cope with what happened.
On July 18, 2007, Shields says she took her 5-year-old poodle named Duke to the clinic for a grooming appointment.
"I gave him to the groomer with instructions on how to trim his hair and I said, ‘Please call me when he's finished,’ and I said, ‘Good-bye angel,’" says Shields.
She didn't know her good-bye would be final.
According to Shields, one of the veterinarians called and told her that something had happened.
"They said, Duke is dead, come and get him," she says.
Shields then rushed to the clinic where she says she was told that her dog is dead and that she could go.
She left and started searching for answers.
Melinda Merck, a forensic veterinarian for the ASPCA, flew to Louisville to do an autopsy on Duke. In her report, Merck says Duke died from hemorrhaging from blunt force trauma to the abdomen.
Animal cruelty criminal charges were filed against the groomer. He was acquitted.
Shields is now pursuing civil charges.
Officials at the clinic declined an on-camera interview.
In a statement to WHAS11 News, the clinic's attorney says the ASPCA “study was performed months after the dog’s death, and after two other necropsies. The previous studies were performed by well known and well respected Louisville veterinarians. There was no sign of blunt force trauma in either of those studies, including the study that was conducted immediately after the death of the dog. The testimony in the criminal trial established these points. The necropsies also discovered that the dog had a tumor. The studies determined that the tumor tore causing the dog to hemorrhage. The third necropsy, the one sent by (Lisa) Shields, took place after the dog had been fully examined, and the tumor removed. This was an unfortunate incident. The clinic is always heartsick when one of their patients dies. However, they adamantly deny any improper conduct by any of the clinic's employees, and will fully defend the clinic's conduct and reputation."
Lisa is trying to keep her dog's memory alive. She keeps a picture of Duke around her neck and on her purse and every night she visits the bench in Cherokee Park she donated in his memory.
"Apart just from Duke I'm doing this for my other poodles, I'm doing it for my parents poodles, I'm doing it for my neighbor next door who has a dog, I'm doing it for everyone who has a dog or who has a cat that needs to be groomed," says Lisa.
Sheilds also says she is working to get local and state grooming legislation passed.
