UK vet killed himself over ‘rich’ clients putting pets down ‘to save money’

A 35-year-old vet was reportedly under considerable stress for having to euthanise pets because their ‘rich’ owners were unwilling to pay for treatments.

A distressed veterinarian in the UK administered drugs used to euthanise animals to himself over wealthy clients “unnecessarily” putting their pets down, an inquest heard.

A vet acquired euthanasia drugs under the pretext of putting a dog down but administered them to himself (representative image). (Unsplash/franciscomoreno)

35-year-old Dr John Ellis reportedly told his mother, Tina Ellis, a Conservative councillor in Fareham, that he was upset over people having “brand new cars” but unwilling to pay for their pet's treatment.

“He was finding that destroying”

“Owners are leaving it too late to come in, they weren’t seeking help early enough for things that could have been quite simple,” Dr Ellis’ mother told the Independent.

She also recalled a remark by his late son, “When I’ve got somebody saying they won’t pay to help their animal and they’re sitting there with a brand new car outside, and other people who were really struggling [financially] would do anything to save their animals, but there was nothing they could do because it was already too late,” adding, “He was finding that destroying.”

The pressure of personal life

In November 2022, Ellis informed his mother that he was going to break up with his long-term partner, reported the Independent. He then visited Animed and told a nurse he had permission to pick medications to “put down a friend’s (large) dog at home.”

He then called his partner and later the man with whom he was cheating. “He had done something stupid – he told me he loved me,” his partner revealed. “He said he wasn’t going to hurt me anymore, and hung up the phone,” the other man in the vet’s life told the inquest.

Reportedly, he was found in the back bathroom of his friend’s house, who was away on vacation and taken to a nearby hospital. He was later pronounced dead.

“All of those things completely built up and he was finding it difficult,” his mother said.

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