Animal cruelty charges have been dropped against a St. Catharines veterinarian who was seen on video choking and hitting animals in his care.
Dr. Mahavir Rekhi was handed 16 animal cruelty charges by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) after a group of his former employees approached CTV News Toronto in 2016 with video showing the vet being aggressive with people’s pets.
The charges – eight counts of causing unnecessary pain or suffering to an animal and eight count of failing to provide suitable and adequate care for an animal – were withdrawn by the Crown on Friday morning.
The Crown prosecutor told 610CKTB following the decision that since the OSPCA started their investigation and obtained a warrant without receiving a formal complaint, Rekhi should not have been charged criminally.
The Crown said Rekhi had already faced discipline from the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, which should have been enough.
The College of Veterinarians of Ontario later found Rehki guilty of professional misconduct and suspended him for ten months.
He returned to work at the clinic in February after submitting to retraining and unannounced inspections.
The punishment was initially what prompted the concerned employees forward. At the time, they called the discipline a “slap on the wrist.”
Animal Justice, an animal advocacy group in Canada, released a written statement to media, saying it was “dismayed” at the court’s decision but that the system failed to protect the animals “every step of the way.”
"Now that the charges against Dr. Rekhi have been withdrawn, the doors of justice have been slammed in the face of vulnerable animals,” said Camille Labchuk, the group’s executive director.
“If our system cannot get a cruelty conviction in a straightforward case with video evidence, what hope is there for animals in more marginal situations?"
Rekhi continues to practise legally at the Welland Avenue clinic, though he is now only open on Saturdays due to a dwindling practice, the Crown suggested .
In some of the videos provided to CTV News Toronto, Rekhi can be seen hitting a dog over its snout with nail clippers while being restrained.
In another, he is seen swinging a sedated cat around by its tail and slamming it up against the side of a counter top.
The controversial vet has faced ongoing backlash from former clients and pet owners alike since the videos were made public.
At the courthouse Friday, about 20 protesters showed up with signs and T-shirts denouncing the vet.
