Austin Veterinary Emergency and Specialty

We recently had a traumatic and appalling experience at AVES with their “compassionate euthanasia” practice. So be aware! On December 5th, 2022, we brought our beloved dog Eli to AVES for a compassionate euthanasia. What we experienced at AVES was horrific and haunted us till this day and it’s anything but compassionate. When we arrived, Eli was alert and in fair condition. When Eli was taken in by AVES staff, we pleaded to be with him to provide him with the comfort of being surrounded by family. However, our request was rejected, and we were told to wait in designated areas while they "measure his vitals". We were promised ample time to be with him afterwards and a doctor would give us a consultation before injection. However, they let us wait for 40 minutes in two areas while they neglected Eli and let him suffer in pain and pass away on his own. By the time they led us to Eli, Eli’s tongue had stuck out, eyes wide open yet was unconscious and unresponsive to our calls. The veterinarian, Amanda Hsu, told us Eli was still alive and hence injected Eli while he may have already passed away. To add insult to injury, Hsu forced us to sign an agreement next to Eli’s body to pay for her injection and services, except for waiving her “consultation fee”. It was devastating to witness Eli’s passing in such horrific manner and unpleasant surroundings (their general working areas). We questioned Dr. Hsu about the events that led to this outcome. She was argumentative yet evasive. She insisted Eli was passing from his cancer. She stated that Eli may not survive through the night if we had kept him home. While we were unsure if Eli would survive through the night, but 40 minutes after being under their care? She could not answer what they were doing with/to him in that 40 minutes and why they didn’t get us immediately if they were with Eli and observed his condition deteriorating. It is so obvious that they had forgot and neglected Eli, and that this neglect directly contributed to his suffering and tumultuous passing, while we were denied the opportunity to be with him in his final moments. One week after the incident, I requested a meeting with the facility owner or Director to discuss the matter but was told that the Director was not on site but would call me. More than a month has passed, and I have not received any response from AVES. Our emotional wounds from this traumatic experience remain unhealed. It is deeply hurtful to know that Eli spent the last 40 minutes of his life alone, helpless, struggling, and in agony without any love or compassion surrounding him. We believe that Eli thought we had abandoned him and, feeling he had nothing left to hold on to, he gave up. This thought brings us immense guilt and pain. The term "compassionate euthanasia" implies that the process should be carried out with utmost care, empathy, and without causing any pain or distress. Our experience at AVES fell far short of this standard, and we hope that AVES and their veterinaries own responsibility for their actions and to ensure that this does not happen to another family and their beloved pets.