Courts / Dublin / Report
Vet's suspension over care provided to Golden Retriever halved by High Court
Summary
In a High Court decision on 6 June 2024, Mr Justice Micheal P O'Higgins reduced a two‑month suspension imposed on veterinary surgeon William McCartney to one month, finding the original sanction "unduly severe." The case arose after McCartney, owner of North Dublin Animal Hospital, operated on the left hind leg of a golden retriever named Alfie instead of the right leg as originally planned. He failed to inform the owner, who had come with her children, of the change and did not arrange a colleague to meet her or telephone her to explain the decision. The owner, believing the wrong leg had been operated on, was traumatised and later sought a second opinion. McCartney offered a goodwill gesture of no charge for the right‑leg surgery, which the owner declined. He had accepted responsibility for mistakes but denied professional misconduct.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Vet's suspension over care provided to Golden Retriever halved by High Court. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- August 2020 Other
- 2024-06-06 Publication
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