A suspended South Australian vet facing allegations his clinic was unhygienic and strewn with faeces has been inundated with thousands of messages of support, documents before a tribunal show.
Mid North veterinarian Geoffrey Warren is fighting anonymous accusations his Jamestown clinic was unclean, unhygienic and animals in his care were in danger in August and September 2021.
The complaint was made to the Veterinary Surgeons Board of South Australia, which passed it to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Dr Warren rejected any suggestion that his clinic posed a danger to the welfare of animals or the public.
"We were exhausted, just very tired and it was over a short period of time," he told Stock Journal.
"We didn't think that we'd put the public in danger and no animals were concerned - in that no animals or clients were actually involved with the complaint."
'No evidence' for allegations
He said there was no evidence for the accusations.
"The complaint was an anonymous complaint from an unidentified person from a phone call for which there is no physical evidence," Dr Warren said.
In documents before the Tribunal, which Stock Journal has seen, he was accused of failing "to take reasonable infection control measured at the premises".
This included "a large amount of faeces, urine, fur and/or rubbish" on the floor.
"Drugs, human food, animal food, veterinary disposables, bedding, rubbish and excrement were intermingled," the complaint states.
But Dr Warren rejected this.
He said allegations of "unsheathed needles and scalpels in the publicly-accessible waiting room" were also untrue.
To keep visitors safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, he asked them to wait outside on the verandah, while the former waiting area was turned into a consulting room.
"We were using what was the old waiting room for about 40 years as a consulting room during COVID - and the hallway and verandah were being used as the waiting room," he said.
"And I've actually got letters from people to say that is the case.
"So when they're talking about things being in the waiting room, they're actually in the consulting room."
'I couldn't think of a vet I trust more'
Dr Warren's veterinary licence was suspended 10 months ago when the allegations arose.
The Tribunal is considering the complaint, which calls for the vet's deregistration, and is expected to made a decision in late August or September.
The South Australian Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline.
READ MORE:
A change.org petition in support of Dr Warren had 2698 signatures and hundreds of comments as of August 8.
In one comment, Tania Pastorcic from Orroroo said: "Geoff is an amazing vet, purely there for the animals and not for money."
Other messages of public support are spread across across multiple Mid North Facebook groups, including a post from Michael Good addressed to the South Australian Crown Solicitor's Office.
"I have had a look at Geoff Warren's outfit when my dog Chocky was attacked by a pit bull," the post reads.
"His outfit is a little unregular as its based in a home but I find these allegations hard to believe.
"His outfit was clean in operating rooms and the cages were clean.
"He cared more about my dog getting 30 odd stitches than money.
"I couldn't think of a vet I trust more."
Cathy Searle from Port Pirie posted: "I am so very concerned with the vicious campaign being currently waged against our very loved and trusted veterinary surgeon Geoff Warren.
"This is a disgraceful and vindictive effort to try and get rid of this man (who is trusted and important to so many people from the areas around his practice ) out of the way," she wrote.
Jenni Kendal, Peterborough said she was concerned about losing vet services in town.
"More importantly because Geoff Warren is a committed, caring and experienced vet who does not deserve this," she wrote.
Do you know more? Email kiara.stacey@austcommunitymedia.com.au