DENVER - Cate Clark dropped her dog, Ruby, off at the 29th Avenue Animal Clinic last Thursday so she could be treated for dehydration.
Two hours later, Ruby was dead -- not because the veterinarian made a mistake in treating the dog but because her staff allowed Ruby to escape her kennel and then the clinic altogether.
She wandered 18 blocks from the Stapleton clinic north toward Interstate 70 where she was hit by a car and killed.
"The negligence, the carelessness, it's just infuriating," said Clark. "I'm so sad, but I'm so angry at the same time."
Dr. Michele Smith, the veterinarian at 29th Avenue Animal Clinic, is taking responsibility for Ruby's death and has already fired the employee who left the clinic's back door propped open, allowing Ruby to escape.
But that escape wouldn't have been possible had Ruby been in a kennel with a working latch.
"The kennel was broken," said Clark. "When we took Ruby in on Monday, the tech kept joking that Ruby keeps getting out of her kennel. And maybe that was funny at the time, but why wasn't she in a secure kennel? And when we went back to look at it, they'd already put another dog in the same kennel even though they could have gotten out just as easily."
Smith has refunded Clark's bill, paid for Ruby's cremation and even sent her flowers. But, it's little solace to Clark, her partner, Kelly and Harley, the couple's other dog who has been mourning the loss of his "best buddy" ever since Ruby failed to come home from the vet.
"Ruby was a great dog, she was a protector, she was a guardian, she was a great companion, she was a very gentle dog," Clark said. "We all miss her and you can't replace her. Nothing in this world will replace her."
Two hours later, Ruby was dead -- not because the veterinarian made a mistake in treating the dog but because her staff allowed Ruby to escape her kennel and then the clinic altogether.
She wandered 18 blocks from the Stapleton clinic north toward Interstate 70 where she was hit by a car and killed.
"The negligence, the carelessness, it's just infuriating," said Clark. "I'm so sad, but I'm so angry at the same time."
Dr. Michele Smith, the veterinarian at 29th Avenue Animal Clinic, is taking responsibility for Ruby's death and has already fired the employee who left the clinic's back door propped open, allowing Ruby to escape.
But that escape wouldn't have been possible had Ruby been in a kennel with a working latch.
"The kennel was broken," said Clark. "When we took Ruby in on Monday, the tech kept joking that Ruby keeps getting out of her kennel. And maybe that was funny at the time, but why wasn't she in a secure kennel? And when we went back to look at it, they'd already put another dog in the same kennel even though they could have gotten out just as easily."
Smith has refunded Clark's bill, paid for Ruby's cremation and even sent her flowers. But, it's little solace to Clark, her partner, Kelly and Harley, the couple's other dog who has been mourning the loss of his "best buddy" ever since Ruby failed to come home from the vet.
"Ruby was a great dog, she was a protector, she was a guardian, she was a great companion, she was a very gentle dog," Clark said. "We all miss her and you can't replace her. Nothing in this world will replace her."
