Veterinarian Expelled For Malpractice and Animal Cruelty

The United States Equestrian Federation (“USEF”) has expelled a member for violating the USEF Code of Conduct after a Texas court found her guilty of felony animal cruelty to a mare to whom the veterinarian was providing post-surgical care. According to the Hearing Committee’s decision, the member’s license to practice veterinary medicine was revoked as the result of an incident in which the veterinarian was alleged to have used a “hotshot” or handheld cattle prod to repeatedly shock the mare in an effort to get her to stand. As a result of the criminal charges on which she was convicted, the veterinarian will serve a term of probation, but not any jail time.