Vet's heartbreaking death after 'wealthy clients asked to put their animals down'

Vet Dr John Ellis, 35, took his ain beingness aft asking for drugs utilized to enactment down animals arsenic helium was progressively upset by affluent owners not paying to prevention their pets' lives

A vet killed himself with drugs usually utilized to euthanise people’s pets arsenic helium was “destroyed” by affluent clients asking for their animals to beryllium enactment down.

Winchester Coroner's Court heard however Dr John Ellis, 35, was progressively upset by affluent clients who owned flash cars refusing to wage to prevention their furry friends. He besides told his mother, Tina Ellis, however clients who could not spend attraction often brought their pets successful excessively precocious for thing to beryllium done to prevention them.

An inquest heard however helium asked a veterinary caregiver to springiness him the deadly medicine by falsely claiming helium needed it to enactment down a friend's 'large dog'.

Mrs Ellis, a Conservative councillor successful Fareham, Hertfordshire, said: “Owners are leaving it excessively precocious to travel in. They weren't seeking assistance aboriginal capable for things which could person been rather simple.

“He said ‘When I've got idiosyncratic saying they won't wage to assistance their carnal and they're sitting determination with a marque caller car outside, and different radical who were truly struggling [financially] would bash thing to prevention their animals, but determination was thing they could bash due to the fact that it was already excessively late.

"He was uncovering that destroying."

Dr Ellis was a nonmigratory astatine Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists astatine the clip of his death, and told his parent helium had been having sleeping troubles. He would slumber successful his car sometimes erstwhile helium was connected call, alternatively than spell location and person to thrust to the vets successful an exigency and was nether fiscal unit arsenic well.

The inquest heard however Dr Ellis was recovered successful his ain home, and past taken to the Royal Hampshire County infirmary successful Winchester, but was pronounced dormant successful the aboriginal hours of November 7.

Dr Ellis's begetter Robert told the inquest the easiness of entree to the medicine which killed his lad made him consciousness arsenic if his lad had entree to a 'loaded gun'. Recording a verdict of termination Simon Burge, adjunct coroner for Hampshire, said Dr Ellis's decease was 'a immense discarded of a talented life'.

He said: "It's a substance of large regret to the household and each his friends helium should person rashly, unnecessarily made the determination that helium did."

In a Prevention of Future Deaths study addressed to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Mr Burge warned astir however Dr Ellis had been capable to get clasp of the drugs. He wrote: "He was capable to entree the drug, which helium knew to beryllium dangerous, without being challenged arsenic to its purpose. Veterinary surgeons, specified arsenic the deceased, are capable to easy entree perchance lethal drugs... without immoderate capable controls being enactment successful spot to forestall their mis-use.

"He was fixed [the drug] by his erstwhile employers, without immoderate checks having archetypal been made to verify his relationship of wherefore it was needed and without scrutiny by different veterinary surgeon."

In a connection shared by termination foundation Amparo, the household said: "Those who knew John volition retrieve him not lone for his nonrecreational expertise but besides for his warmth, generosity, and genuine emotion for animals.

"He poured his bosom into his work, and his lack leaves a heavy void successful the lives of each who had the privilege of moving with him and knowing him personally. As a family, we are devastated by the nonaccomplishment of John, and we proceed to grapple with the heartbreak and daze that travel with the decease of idiosyncratic truthful young and afloat of potential.

"We privation to instrumentality this accidental to promote anyone who whitethorn beryllium struggling with intelligence wellness challenges to question enactment and not endure successful silence. No 1 should consciousness they are alone, and we impulse everyone to scope retired for assistance if they are successful need."

For affectional enactment you tin telephone the Samaritans 24-hour helpline connected 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, sojourn a Samaritans subdivision successful idiosyncratic oregon spell to the Samaritans website