Animal hospital director says Braun was ‘belligerent’ Braun has paralegal training and knew evidence of the Alta Vista Animal Hospital’s conduct would have to be preserved if he decided to take legal action or seek professional sanctions from the College of Veterinarians of Ontario for the way Echo was treated. On Dec. 11, the morning following Echo’s death, Braun delivered a legal letter to the Alta Vista Animal Hospital requesting a number of records that would have been created during Echo’s treatment, including videotapes from security cameras that might show how Echo was treated during his stay and during his removal from the Alta Vista hospital by two technicians. So far, he has only received some medical notes about Echo’s visits. The demand that the hospital preserve all evidence prompted a quick response. “Seven hours later two lawyers were at my door with a letter that says, ‘If you come back to the Alta Vista Animal Hospital you will be charged with criminal trespass,’ Braun
said. He shared a copy of the letter from the Alta Vista Animal Hospital’s lawyer, Vicky Satta, of the Ottawa law firm Emond Harnden. The letter accuses Braun of being “derogatory, demeaning and insulting” to the Alta Vista Animal Hospital’s staff. The letter states animal hospital staff “assessed your pet and provided appropriate medical care,” and says a manager asked Braun not to return to the animal hospital “for service in future,” but makes no mention of his being asked to leave while Echo still required treatment. The letter ends by informing Braun that if he returns to the animal hospital, he will be “prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” Braun said he later asked the friends who were waiting with him if he acted inappropriately. “They said I was just crying,” he said. HOSPITAL RESPONDS
The hospital director at Alta Vista Animal Hospital, Steve Sidoli, said Braun was “belligerent” during the Dec.
10 evening visit. Sidoli said Echo was “treated and stabilized,” and that when Braun was asked to leave, staff offered to make an appointment for Echo with a neurologist elsewhere. “The relationship (between the hospital and Braun) is frustrated,” Sidoli said. A key question the College of Veterinarians of Ontario must consider based on a complaint is if the Alta Vista Animal Hospital released Echo before he received the care he needed. Asked if Echo needed surgery when he was released by the Alta Vista Animal Hospital, Sidoli said Echo “needed to see a neurologist, but it wasn’t urgent.” “That’s not a medical opinion as I’m not a medical professional,” he said. Alta Vista is the only Ottawa animal hospital that offers neurological services that Echo appeared to require. Sidoli said Alta Vista Animal Hospital staff provided Braun with contact information for a clinic in Montreal that offers neurological care before Braun left the Alta Vista hos-
pital on Dec. 10. “We treat 25,000 cases a year and this is not a common occurrence,” he said of Braun being asked to leave. Braun understands the courts consider pets to be property and will only measure Echo’s value in dollars. He bought Echo for $3,000 and while he would like the Alta Vista Animal Hospi-
narians of Ontario, discipline ranges from reprimands to fines to revocation of a vet’s licence if a member of the college has shown “disregard for the welfare” of an animal. “He was the best faithful and loyal companion,” Braun said of Echo. “I miss him greatly; coming to me when I come home, putting his head on my lap. “I feel like they should have fixed him and they wouldn’t.” R0013661777-0128
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tal to be responsible for that amount, he’s more interested in having other pet owners know how he was treated. If the case does go to civil court – and Braun plans to file a case in court – Braun expects evidence from the Alta Vista Animal Hospital, including videos, could be presented, along with statements from the animal hospital’s staff. If a compliant goes forward at the College of Veteri-
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DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS / AMENDMENTS UNDER THE PLANNING ACT NOTICE OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING Thursday, February 4, 2016 – 10 a.m. The item listed below, in addition to any other items previously scheduled, will be considered at this meeting, which will be held in The Chamber, Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa. To see any change to this meeting agenda, please go to Ottawa.ca.
NOTICE OF RATIFICATION VOTE FEBRUARY 29, 2016 TO MARCH 7, 2016 A vote will be held to ratify the proposed Agreement-in-Principle among the Algonquins of Ontario and the Governments of Ontario and Canada.
www.tanakiwin.com/aipratificationvote.htm If you are an eligible Algonquin Voter and have not received an information package by mail, contact the Ratification Vote Manager.
1-855-629-8683 (toll free) or 613-629-8683 R0013657963_0128
ratification@tanakiwin.com
Zoning - 6345 Garvin Road 613-580-2424, ext. 12681 – Natalie.Persaud@ottawa.ca Zoning - 5063 Upper Dwyer Hill Road 613-580-2424, ext. 12681 – Natalie.Persaud@ottawa.ca Zoning - 5985 Frank Kenny Road 613-580-2424, ext. 12681 – Natalie.Persaud@ottawa.ca Zoning – 5511, 5537 McCordick Road and 5510 Fourth Line Road 613-580-2424, ext. 12681 – Natalie.Persaud@ottawa.ca Comprehensive Zoning By-law 2008-250: Anomaly - 2940, 2946 Baseline Road, 5705 Hazeldean Road and 6801 Hazeldean Road 613-580-2424, ext. 28457 – Carol.Ruddy@ottawa.ca
DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS / AMENDMENTS UNDER THE PLANNING ACT NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, February 9, 2016 – 9:30 a.m. The items listed below, in addition to any other items previously scheduled, will be considered at this meeting which will be held in the Champlain Room, City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa. To see any change to this meeting agenda, please go to Ottawa.ca. Zoning - 900 Merivale Road 613-580-2424, ext. 16187 – Melissa.Jort-Conway@ottawa.ca Zoning - 324 Cambridge Street North 613-580-2424, ext. 23032 – Kimberley.Baldwin@ottawa.ca Zoning - 1845, 1877, 1883 and 1921, Stittsville Main Street and 74 Hartsmere Drive 613-580-2424, ext. 27505 – Lily.Xu@ottawa.ca Ad # 2016-508-S_Dev Apps_28012015 R0013659916-0128
West Carleton Review - Thursday, January 28, 2016 37