Pet owners react to abuse video

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Hundreds of people are voicing their opinions on social media and many of them are against what they see as a light sentence handed down to Mahavir Rekhi by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario. But the college says it’s an uncommonly harsh sentence. Only 4 times in the past 20 years have they revoked a veterinarians license. Mahavir Rekhi received a 10 month suspension and a $10 000 fine and will get 3 random, unannounced visits from the college.

Jessica Hamilton is still haunted by the six months she worked at Skyway Animal Hospital. Employees had already been secretly recording from Mahavir Rekhi’s own security cameras. They warned Hamilton not to accept the job in the first place, but she needed the work. Then she needed to do something about the abuse and in 2014, she and others took the videos to the College of Veterinarians of Ontario.

They decided to go public when they felt Rekhi’s punishment wasn’t severe enough, but the college says Rekhi’s punishment is unusually harsh. The Lincoln Humane Society opened a separate investigation when the video was made public. The Skyway employees were advised not to contact the SPCA with their complaint, because the college was the authority that could stop Rekhi from treating pets.

*Yesterday the OSPCA announced it had launched a formal investigation into Rekhi and his practice.  In last night’s 6 c’lock newscast we reported that Dr. Rekhi previously worked at the Martindale Animal Clinic. That is not the case and we apologize for the error.