Veterinarian Stole Drugs, Ex-Partner Says

FORT WORTH (CN) - A veterinarian says her partner abandoned a dog on the operating table in the middle of a leg amputation, as part of a troubling pattern of behavior than included the theft of more than 49,000 tablets of hydrocodone, a synthetic narcotic.

In her complaint in Tarrant County Court, Dr. Kaye Wigginton says Dr. Susan Boeving abandoned the cut-open dog for 45 minutes to pick her son up from school, though a technician had offered to pick up the child for her.

Wigginton says Boeving's behavior that day "provided a harbinger of things to come."

Wigginton claims that the office manager for Parkside Animal Hospital later found that Boeving had falsified patient records, logs and invoices to generate prescriptions for hydrocodone. Boeving stole and "consumed over 49,000 hydrocodone tablets and over 86,000 milliliters of hydrocodone liquid," according to the complaint.

Wigginton says she and Boeving formed Parkside Animal Hospital in 1999. She says that Boeving "has demonstrated a complete disregard of her duties as a partner and severe negligence in the conduct of her veterinary duties."

Wigginton requests that the court enjoin Boeving and her agents from entering or practicing at Parkside. She seeks disgorgement, at least $35,000 in actual damages, $50,000 in exemplary damages and $1,000 in statutory damages for violation of the Texas Theft Liability Act.

Wigginton and Parkside are represented by Roy Golsan with Vickers Kempf.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit