MOORE – A veterinarian is under fire for violations of statutes and rules, according to the Oklahoma State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.
Dr. Jackie Puterbaugh has been suspended amid serious allegations.
“We bring all our pets up here. We never had any problems with her,” said customer Doug Sherman.
Monday morning, Sherman walked up to his cat’s veterinarian’s office to find the 24-hour clinic locked with a ‘closed until further notice’ sign on the door.
“I’ve been trying to find out any information, because we have a couple of special needs cat that need their medication,” Sherman said.
The All Hours Animal Hospital and Emergency Center is closed because Puterbaugh is suspended for six months and placed on a 10-year probation period.
“It was a big surprise to us,” Sherman said.
The board alleges Puterbaugh allowed a non-licensed employee to preform a surgery on a dog, which will cost her more than $500 in reimbursements to the owner.
“There were multiple situations where they were allowed to draw blood and do tests,” said former employee Ashley Johnson.
Puterbaugh is also accused of improperly handling controlled dangerous substances and holding pets hostage.
“In Oklahoma, animals are property and you can’t just take someone’s property and have it destroyed like that,” Puterbaugh told News 4 back in 2014, when a couple allegedly stole someone else’s dog.
Now, the board is accusing her of similar actions.
“This isn’t the first time an allegation like this has come up. It’s been like this multiple times,” Johnson said.
Johnson worked alongside Puterbaugh in 2012 as a vet assistant.
“We would help with things we weren’t supposed to help with,” Johnson said.
Puterbaugh is fighting back. She filed a lawsuit against the board on violation of due process.
Her lawyer claims the board’s actions demonstrated a clear bias and prejudice.
The records also accused the board of not advising the charges against the vet, not providing relevant information and precluding Puterbaugh from talking to witnesses.
Sherman said the board’s allegations are unbelievable.
“We love her. Both of our special needs cats shouldn’t even be here. If it wasn’t for her, they wouldn’t have been,” he said.
News 4 made several attempts to reach Puterbaugh’s attorneys. So far, no one has yet to comment.
The vet is ordered to pay a monthly $50 probation fee and a $30,000 fine.
