Bridgeport vet, Dr Amr Wasfi charged with animal cruelty and theft after allegedly hurting animals in his charge to collect fee. Had previously had license revoked.
A Connecticut veterinarian has been arraigned on a variety of animal cruelty charges including theft- after allegedly squeezing a kitten to death in one instance as well as harming a dog by performing unnecessary surgery just to collect the fee.
Amr Wasfi, was charged last week after authorities say he killed or harmed animals at his veterinarian practice in Bridgeport.
The 74-year-old vet, who runs the Black Rock Animal Hospital, was arraigned on Wednesday with nbcconnecticut reporting Wasfi not entering a plea.
In instances of egregious conduct, authorities claim Wasfi squeezing a four-month-old kitten to death that was supposed to be spayed. Another episode included the vet allegedly performing unnecessary surgery on a dog that had been diagnosed with a sprain.
Dr Amr Wasfi investigated:
Police started investigating Wasfi in December when one of his employees reported allegations of abuse.
The employee told police she’d walked into the operating room and allegedly saw Wasfi striking the kitchen.
The woman claims she was fired the next day.
Police say they also received a complaint in February after a man took his limping dog to see Wasfi.
He claims the vet diagnosed his dog with a sprained leg and gave him medication.
The owner took the dog back a week later when he was still limping.
Wasfi is alleged to have shown the owner an x-ray and informed him the dog actually had a fracture on his pelvis.
The owner paid $3,300 for the surgery and was told he could pick the dog up in five days.
The man repeatedly tried to see his dog over the next two weeks but was refused access before eventually calling police.
His dog had lost a considerable amount of weight and was left bloody and scarred.
The man claims another vet examined his dog and said he never sustained such a fracture. Wasfi had also allegedly inserted a screw into the dog but it was nowhere near where he claimed the fracture was.
Wasfi, who opened the animal hospital in 1977, was arrested last week.
Of note, Wasfi had his vet license revoked in 1996– only to have it reinstated in 2003. It wasn’t clear what led to the man’s license being revoked initially.
Wasfi is free on $10,000 bond and his case has been postponed until next month so his lawyer can examine evidence.
JUST IN: Bridgeport PD have arrested Dr. Amr A. Wasfi, a Bridgeport veterinarian, on cruelty to animals charges in connection with incidents of alleged abuse at the Black Rock Animal hospital in Bridgeport. .@FOX61News is working this disturbing story. pic.twitter.com/OMNJXv5boS
— newsbell (@newsbell) May 3, 2019
Police spent months investigating Dr. Amr Wasfi following many complaints from customers who say their pets got worse, not better after receiving treatment from the animal hospital. https://t.co/jaQ2n2E3pc
— Bon in NC (@timbonstewart) May 5, 2019
