Lindsay Newell, a Derbyshire veterinary nurse, has been struck off by The Veterinary Nurses Disciplinary Committee of the RCVS, after she was found guilty of the unlawful possession of veterinary medicines and failing to give regard to welfare in respect of six animals. 

The hearing for Ms Newell, who did not attend and was not represented, concluded on 18th November 2015. It related to two main charges against her. The first was that, on 29 November 2012, she was found in possession of a number of veterinary medicines without lawful permission.

The Committee heard that the RSPCA and police officers had attended Ms Newell’s home on that day, where they found veterinary medicines, including controlled drugs, stored in an insecure cabinet within an insecure shed. It heard that during a police interview, she agreed that she was not allowed to possess some of the drugs and subsequently accepted a police caution, which the Committee took as an admission of the offence and therefore found the charge proved.

The second charge was that, between 1 and 29 November 2012 at the Burton Wildlife and Rescue Centre in Etwall, Derbyshire, she failed to give any or sufficient regards to the welfare of six animals in her care. These charges relate to an RSPCA investigation of the rescue centre on 29 November 2012 which found two animals dead and the rest of the animals emaciated and in poor physical condition.

The animals included a male lamb found dead in its pen, a ‘furry-faced’ lamb which died just over a week after the investigation took place, a female goat which died 12 hours after being taken to a veterinary practice for treatment and a pig which died during the investigation process, as well as an adult ewe and a pony which both survived. The charge against her also cited her failure to supply an adequate diet, obtain any or any adequate veterinary attention and explore and address the cause of the weight loss for these animals.

The Committee found all parts of the second charge proved and was satisfied that Ms Newell failed to give sufficient regard to animal welfare as is required by the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses.

In deciding its sanction, the Committee considered a number of aggravating factors in this case. It found that, in respect of both charges, the misconduct was “sustained over a period of time rather than being a single and isolated incident” and that, in respect of the second charge, that there was “actual harm caused to animals, which resulted in the deaths of four out of the six animals.”

The Committee felt that this constituted reckless disregard for animal welfare rather than deliberate acts but, nevertheless, said that these animals unnecessarily suffered for a period of at least four weeks due to inadequate diet and that, as rescue animals that were already vulnerable, the expectation was that they would be given the appropriate level of care. It also found that Ms Newell had demonstrated limited insight into her behaviour.  Furthermore, it considered that a Magistrates’ Court had also disqualified Ms Newell from keeping sheep, goats, pigs, and equines for a period of five years.

In mitigation it considered that Ms Newell did show some insight into her behaviour in relation to the first charge by making admissions during her police interview, as well as the fact that the animal sanctuary, which opened in 2008, had no complaints or cause for concern prior to 2012.

Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee is of the opinion that removal of Ms Newell’s name from the Register of Veterinary Nurses is the only appropriate sanction based upon the severity of the facts found proved.”

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