Vet Tech 101: Scared, Injured Dogs May Bite

The family of a 10-year-old dachshund in Lafayette, Colorado is fighting for their dog's life after he bit a veterinary technician during an office visit. What started out as a $1,700 routing procedure has turned into a $10,000 legal battle.

Spork was headed in for minor oral surgery — a few teeth and a cyst needed to be removed — nothing big for an older dog. He was a regular patient at this vet hospital, but that day things were chaotic, and he was scared. According to Tim Walker, Spork's owner, "They said he was so scared he was shaking. My wife picked Spork off the scale and cradled him in her arms, and he was shaking so badly that he pooped on her arm." Then, in one of those it-happened-so-fast moments, the vet tech's chin was bleeding and Spork was on his way to being declared a vicious dog.

The veterinary hospital called animal control. They also say they support the vet tech's decision to press charges "because when an animal causes serious injury to a person, there should be a public record of that fact in case there are future incidents involving that animal."

Calling animal control established a public record. The charges are personal.

Colorado has a state statute that recognizes the assumed risk in working at an animal hospital and exempts employees from being able to press charges. But the city of Lafayette provides a loophole that allowed the vet tech to pursue Spork in court. Now the little dog's fate is in the hands of the legal system, which can sentence him, as a "vicious dog," to life in the kennel or death.

This isn't only about assumed risk; it's also about assumed training and knowledge. If you work in a vet clinic (or any animal-related profession),  you should: 1) know how to recognize a scared dog; 2) know that biting is a common fear reaction; and 3) know better than to stick your face (or any other body part) within reach of that scared dog.

Charges are commonly pressed, when it comes to injuries, if someone is at fault; if their negligence caused your pain. It's not as if Kelly Walker let Spork run free, or thrust him at the vet tech. She couldn't have been doing much more to restrain her dog. The press release (pdf) from the animal hospital admitted that Spork was "visibly nervous" and he bit the technician when she "reached over to take Spork from his guardian." The vet tech ignored the dog's signals, increased his stress, and came close enough to put herself in danger. You just don't reach out toward a visibly stressed dog, and you definitely don't try to pick him up or take him from his owner's arms.

Animals are often scared and not feeling well in veterinary hospitals — that's why they're there. It's no secret that these factors often make a dog a bite risk. When you're on staff at a vet hospital, you're supposed to be the expert, and you're supposed to be looking out for the well-being of your patients. Given the evidence in this case, I'd say it was the technician that was negligent.

The outcome for Spork has ramifications for every pet owner across the country. It would be another story if Spork had an undisclosed history of aggression or, as I said earlier, if Kelly Walker had somehow put the vet tech in danger. But as it is, this situation opens the door for seeking veterinary attention to become a risky venture for pet owners. As Tim says, "We shouldn't walk into a vet to pay professionals for a procedure, and then leave as a criminal."

Municipal Court Judge Roger Buchholz heard arguments on Friday for the dismissal of the case against Walkers and has said he will reach a decision in a few days. You can follow Spork's story, and find out more about how you can help, on Facebook or the Save Spork blog.

Photo credit: Save Spork