A “talented” UK vet killed himself with his surgery’s animal euthanization drugs due to distress over rich owners callously putting down their pets to avoid paying for treatment, according to his mother.
Dr. John Ellis, 35, was under considerable stress at having to kill pets just because their owners were unwilling to fork over for treatment until it was too late to save them, his mother, Tina Ellis, told a court hearing into his death, according to Metro.
He eventually killed himself by sneaking out of his office a dose of euthanization medication big enough to put down a large dog, the coroner was told.
The vet had shared his profound sadness over the animals’ deaths, which he felt could’ve been easily prevented, his mom told Winchester Coroners Court.
“He was finding that destroying,” his mom said in court.
“I’ve got somebody saying they won’t pay to help their animal and they’re sitting there with a brand new car outside,” the late vet from Hampshire told his mother.
“Other people who were really struggling would do anything to save their animals.”
Dr. Ellis told his family he was going to his office to pick up a package on Nov. 6, 2022, and then told a nurse there that he was picking up medication to put down a friend’s dog at home.
Instead, he went to the house of a friend who was on vacation and used the killer drug through an intravenous drip. He was later found by the friend whose home he was in.
The inquest heard the vet also planned to dump his long-term partner, whom he had been secretly cheating on, and that he had been suffering from sleeping problems as well as money woes that left him sleeping in his car when he was on call, the outlet reported.
“All of those things completely built up and he was finding it difficult,” his mom said at the inquest.
The death was ruled a suicide by Simon Burge, assistant coroner for Hampshire, who called it “a huge waste of a talented life.”
Dr. Ellis had worked at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, which said on Facebook: “John was a wonderful person and an incredibly talented vet; time with John never failed to make your day a brighter one. He will be terribly missed by all who knew him.”
