Exotic Vet Century City Dr Karli Du Preez

Wild ***eon unnecessarily euthanized without consent

⭐ 1 Star Rating – I would give 0 stars if I could. I rescued a ***eon suffering from string feet (feet were tied together by string). Over a period of several days, I carefully removed most of the string that was constricting its feet, which resulted in a significant reduction in the swelling. The ***eon made remarkable progress while in my care. He was eating well, an incredibly healthy weight, active, and steadily improving. There was still a little bit of string attached to the one foot, and I approached this veterinary practice for assistance in removing the remainder and assessing the injury. Unfortunately, from the moment I arrived, I was met with what I considered to be cold, rude and dismissive behaviour from the receptionist Jaime and other staff members. Rather than showing compassion for someone trying to help an injured rescue animal, I felt unwelcome and out of place. The manner in which I was treated left a very poor impression. Before leaving the bird with them, I specifically sought assurance that the ***eon would not be euthanised. I was specifically told by Jaime that the practice follows a pro-life policy and does not put animals down. I also made a donation towards the bird's treatment to ensure that this was the case. I made it clear that I did not want the ***eon to be euthanized. I wanted to be informed first so that I could take the bird back and rather continue caring for it myself. On arrival I repeatedly made it clear that the ***eon was NOT to be put down. To my great sadness, I later discovered that the bird had been euthanised without my knowledge or consent. Despite the assurances I had been given, nobody contacted me before making this decision, nor was I given the opportunity to continue caring for the ***eon. What devastates me most is not only the loss of the bird, but the fact that the commitments made to me were not honored. Had I been told from the outset that euthanasia was a very real possibility, I would have walked straight out. They have cited “systemic infection” as their reason for putting him to sleep. As I have already stated - he was highly alert, eating and drinking well, and active with a healthy weight. I have no doubt that whatever infection he possibly had that it was treatable had they simply taken the time and care to do so. Instead they chose to snuff out his life, pushing for the quickest option available to them. I am devastated by this experience. I felt that my wishes were disregarded, the assurances given to me were not kept, and the common courtesy and compassion one would expect from a veterinary practice were sorely lacking.