A young mum claims her beloved pet dog Ava died after being turned away from a local vet because they were ‘too busy’.
Eloise and Evan Meyer, from the south coast of New South Wales, said their 11-year-old German Shepherd cross Rottweiler was her ‘normal happy self’ before her health suddenly took a turn for the worse on April 21.
‘Ava was running around playing with my other dog, but by the afternoon my 7-year-old son found her laying down having trouble breathing, and with a white tongue,’ Ms Meyer told Daily Mail Australia.
Mr Meyer and his young son rushed Ava to a vet on the NSW South Coast.
Eloise (pictured) and Evan Meyer, from Illawarra, in New South Wales, said their 11-year-old German Shepherd cross Rottweiler was her ‘normal happy self’ before her health suddenly took a turn for the worse on April 21
The family claims when they arrived at the clinic, its receptionists turned them away, saying the vet was too busy
Mr Meyer, a defence force veteran who suffers anxiety and depression, said losing Ava in such tragic circumstances has caused his mental health to decline
But they claim when they arrived at the clinic, its receptionists turned them away, saying the vet was too busy.
‘When my husband arrived he walked straight inside and spoke to the reception staff. Evan was clearly distressed – he told them that Ava was struggling to breathe and that she was cold,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘They refused to even look at Ava, and the female behind the desk told him to go to another clinic – which is a good 25-30 minute drive away, especially at that time of the day.
‘This was an emergency, and she was disregarded like her life meant nothing… they did not even alert the vet of Ava’s emergency.’
Mr Meyer instead rushed to the closest vet clinic located in a neighbouring suburb.
‘The vets put Ava into the clinic straight away because they could see that she needed help as soon as possible, but unfortunately by the time they got the oxygen to her she took her last breath,’ Ms Meyer said.
The mother-of-three claimed the veterinary clinic owner’s excuse for not seeing Ava was that staff were ‘swamped’ with patients, and only had one vet working at the time.
‘However, we only saw one patient waiting inside, and no one outside. Every other time we have been people are waiting outside on the seats as well,’ she said.
Ms Meyer also took issue with being told by the owner that the vet was ‘working on’ a dog at the time and ‘could not have seen Ava immediately’.
‘That is a very vague excuse as far as I am concerned. Working on a dog could be anything from clipping their nails to undertaking surgery,’ she said.
Ms Meyer said her husband and their three sons, aged 11, seven and four, have been left devastated by Ava’s death
‘If it was surgery then say it – I would be able to better understand why Ava was turned away in her time of need if that was the case.’
Ms Meyer said her husband and their three sons, aged 11, seven and four, have been left devastated by Ava’s death.
‘I can live with the fact that my beautiful girl has passed away and is now at peace. However, what I cannot live with is knowing that she may still be here today if they did take their jobs as vets very seriously.’
Mr Meyer, a defence force veteran who suffers anxiety and depression, said losing Ava in such tragic circumstances has caused his mental health to decline.
‘Ava was not officially a companion dog. However, she has been by Evan’s side through all of his difficulties and setbacks,’ Ms Meyer said.
‘My boys’ reaction to Ava’s passing has been a very emotional one. They didn’t get to say goodbye to her because it all happened so suddenly.
‘My seven-year-old son had to come home early from school the day after Ava died because he started crying and could not be consoled by his teachers.’
Ms Meyer said the owner of the clinic has continued to defend his reception staff’s actions.