"One More Day" -- video by Greg W. Munson
Read more about Stempy, Greg and Cindy after the jump.
Of all of the veterinary victims who have lost their furkids to veterinary negligence and incompetence, there's something about a grown man fighting back tears that really gets to you. I don't know why. All I know is that my conversations and correspondence with men who have had to face what might possibly be the worst thing to ever happen to them―the loss of their beloved companion animal at the hands of a negligent vet―have been especially heart wrenching.
On this Father's Day, I recall breaking the news over the phone to my own dad about Suki's death. After what seemed like forever, dad choked out one sentence--”She was a class act”--before breaking down and handing the phone to my mom, who could not speak at all after I told her. In fact, neither of my parents could set foot in my home for a full month after Suki's horrendous death from hideous mistreatment by an even more hideous quack. The thought of Suki―OUR Suki, our most wonderful, precious family member―taken so senselessly from her family was unbearable. For a man who had always been a dog person, remembering my dad finishing out Suki's little condo, bringing over a special “scratching log” and bowl of tasty homegrown grass, along with his camera to take pictures at Suki's little birthday parties, Suki's Christmas, Suki's Sitting Around, Suki's Everything, still makes me laugh.
So to all of those wonderful Doggie Dads and Cat Pops, and all Pet Dads who have suffered the loss of their best friends because of a BadVet, you are in my thoughts today. Please know you are not alone.
I can't let this Father's Day go by without a tribute to one of the most amazing Dog Dads I've ever known. Stempy the Shih Tzu―known as Daddy's Little Deputy―was the furkid of fellow Texan and consumer advocates Greg Munson and his wife Cindy.
After Stempy's death in 2005 at the hands of Ann Thomas, DVM, Rodeo Drive Veterinary Hospital, Greg contacted me and the rest, as they say, is history. Over the years he has done more to hold the Texas veterinary board's feet to the fire than anyone in the state, creating more consumer advocacy web sites than anyone I know, getting unprecedented changes made to the complaint review process and faithfully attending public vet board meetings in Austin for several years.
I've testified alongside Greg and Cindy, trying to make these so-called “public servants” give a rat's ass about the disgraceful lack of accountability for vets, how the deck is stacked against the complainant at every turn, and at one particularly memorable vet board meeting, going straight to the capital building at Greg's insistence (I was ready to go home in complete disgust at these lunkheads) and meeting in person with our representatives and/or their chiefs of staff to let them know the travesty that the Texas veterinary board is.
We've talked and brainstormed, paced and yelled, told and retold and re-retold our stories endlessly, shared media coverage in Dallas and San Antonio (I even got a San Antonio television news crew to go to Austin to cover the board meeting with Greg in attendance) laughed, and yes, cried. Many tears. Greg was my first exposure to a grown man sobbing at the thought of what his little dog went through, dying in his arms, and hearing that his complaint, like mine, had been dismissed. I will never forget his reaction when I told him at our first meeting that Suki's complaint was unilaterally dismissed by Martin E. Garcia DVM based solely on her age. He stood up, flustered and fuming, and said in his inimitable East Texas accent: “I don't care if Suki was FORTY FIVE YEARS OLD, that is no reason to dismiss a complaint when the vet was provably WRONG.” Cindy is his rock. I can think of no other wife who would have stood by her husband through relentless, gut-wrenching, frustrating, tireless, passionate and persistent efforts for pets and pet-parents in Texas at great personal and incalculable cost.
So Greg, my friend, on this Father's Day, there may be Hallmark cards from pets to their dads, but none that could ever come close to thanking you for all the work you've done and lives you and Stempy may have saved. But I do know there's one little Shih Tzu angel bursting with love, gratitude, and pride at being Daddy's Little Deputy to the best Doggie-Dad ever. As for Angel Suki and me―we're glad you're on our side!
For more information:
Pet Owners Fight to Hold Bad Vets Accountable, CBS-11, Dallas-Fort Worth, two-part investigative report by Tracy Rowlett
(includes interview with Jack Wolfson, Dog Dad of Calypso)
