Ex-Star Struck contestant claims vet overdosed her pet dog with anaesthesia
MANILA, Philippines — A model has accused a veterinarian employed in a Taguig City pet clinic of malpractice after her Pomeranian, due merely for a prophylaxis, reportedly died after being injected with too much anaesthesia.
Mariam Al-Alawi, a former contestant in GMA-7’s talent show StarStruck, hurled the allegations in a post in her Facebook account on Monday night.
Although the model did not identify the veterinarian employed at the Petcentric veterinary clinic on 26th St. at the corner of 11th Ave. in Bonifacio Global City, she posted a picture of what appeared to be the Professional Regulation Commission identification card of Marie Shella Ordinario in a separate post.
Al-Alawi gave the same name when a netizen who commented on her claims asked her about the identity of the veterinarian.
Al-Alawi said she left Bella, her 11-month-old dog, in the clinic at 12 noon for what Ordinario had described as a “small” procedure of cleaning teeth.
The model said this was days after Bella underwent a P2,800 blood test Ordinario had said was necessary to determine if the creature was healthy enough for the prophylaxis.
“(Bella) was very healthy…(Ordinario) said I can pick my dog up (from the clinic) when she’s fully awake around 7-8 p.m.(Ordinario) made me sign a waiver before leaving. I expected her to be a(n) experienced doctor since the fee she is charging me is more than expensive than (the fee charged by) other vets,” she said, noting that the prohylaxis cost P3,500.
Al-Alawi said that at 4 p.m., she called up the veterinarian, who said Bella was “fine.”
Five hours later, Al-Alawi said the doctor informed her over the phone that the dog had died.
“I rushed to the vet here in Fort Bonifacio, and I saw (Bella) lying on the table lifeless.
“She was overdosed with the anaesthesia as you can see, she died with her eyes open,” the model said.
She said she was “also shocked” the doctor had removed all of Bella’s supposed “milk teeth and charged me P600 per tooth.”
“She removed panels and more than 16 teeth. It’s not advisable to do that especially (since) my dog has a very small size. Almost teacup size. (Bella) could not bear what she (Ordinario) did,” Al-Alawi said.
She said after the incident, Ordinario was “still confident,” and “had no remorse” when she “coldly” said “accidents happen.”
“This is my precious baby. She never informed me of the risks or possible death…Never would have I expected to be staring at a lifeless corpse and burying my dog that day,” Al-Awali said.
“Please beware of her, she took away not just a dog, she took away my baby. A family member. I don’t want this to happen to any other pet owner especially in Fort Bonifacio, the neighbourhood I live in. It’s devastating and unjustifiable,” she added.
But a source at the Taguig city hall said they could do nothing about Petcentric if nobody would file an administrative complaint against it.
The source said that as of 3 p.m., no administrative complaint against the pet shop had been filed with the City Health Office.
“After the filing, the CHO, which supervises the City Veterinary Office, will be the one to make a recommendation about what will be done to the establishment,” the source said.
He added this recommendation would be given to the Business Processing and Licensing Office, which has been given “police power” over business establishments, including the pet clinic.
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So it can either have it closed or withhold the establishment’s permit,” he said.
Senior Supt. Arthur Asis, the city’s chief of police, said that as of 12 noon, the police had not yet assisted anyone in filing a criminal complaint for violation of the Animal Welfare Act.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer tried to get reactions from Ordinario and a statement from Petcentric, but calls and messages were unanswered as of press time. SFM
