Justice for Piper

Hi, my name is Sarah and I’m raising this fundraiser to cover lawyer fees to get justice for my sweet girl Piper.

On March 15th, 2024 our sweet girl got out of the house and unfortunately got hit by a car. My husband rushed her to the vet and they had right off the bat told him that her injuries were severe and grave, the bone she had broken was going to need surgery or amputation. When I had arrived to the hospital, the vet told us her injuries were too severe and she wouldn’t make it through the night. They said we could pay to keep her overnight but she would likely pass without us present. We of course made the hardest decision we could ever make and put our sweet girl down because we trusted the vet had her best intentions. I lost my girl at 6 years old, less then a month from her 7th birthday.

The whole week I fought with myself trying to validate that we did the right thing, that she really couldn’t survive her injuries. The day before her ashes were ready, I called the vet to ask to have her medical records and to tell them they had her birthday wrong on their records. They told me I could have her records and x-rays but her birthday “didn’t really matter”. Her birthday DOES matter, her life MATTERED to US, her family and the group of people who showed up to the vet to see her.

The day I picked her ashes up and got her records, my worst nightmare came to life. On her medical records it states that she needed to be hospitalized for at least 24-48 with a chest tube or thoracocentesis IN ORDER TO SURVIVE, but owners elected euthanasia. They also documented that she was completely healthy besides her broken leg (she had a huge open wound on the back of her leg that was not noted and at the time she was hit was our biggest concern) and her lungs filling with air. We would’ve NEVER NEVER NEVER put her to sleep if they would’ve told us she would survive. They told me and my best friend in the room that she would not make it. Had they of said she would survive and make a recovery with/without surgery or an amputation we would still have our girl. We never went in with the intentions on putting our dog down, we would’ve saved her if we knew her injuries weren’t as serious as they made them out to be. My mother and my sister believe they treated us like this because they didn’t think we could afford to pay for anything. They didn’t offer my husband or I the care credit card, they refused to let my husband take Piper to another vet for a second opinion, they didn’t let him or myself see her until they were about to put her to sleep and they denied letting us see her X-rays when we asked and we only got to see them when I requested them with her records. The surgery and the hospital stay was expensive, but we would’ve and could’ve paid it.

Our girl should still be here, she should be recovering from her broken leg. My family has been in shambles since her accident. My husband can’t live with himself for bringing her to this veterinary hospital. My daughter cries everyday for her Piper that she’s had since her third birthday (she is now 9). My son doesn’t understand and asks where the dog he’s had since he was born went. Myself can’t understand why my girl isn’t here with us. Her birthday is April 17th, we shouldn’t have to celebrate her 7th birthday with her in a box.

After speaking with some people, it was learned that, again Pipers injuries were not as serious as they made them to be to us in the vet room and this was malpractice. I attempted to file a small claim for emotional destress that was denied because small claims doesn’t take those cases, but my sister called and they said I could refile for veterinary malpractice, well I did that and they denied it saying they don’t take those claims either and the only way we can file is with a lawyer in a higher up court.

I called numerous lawyers around Buffalo and none of them handle veterinary malpractice, I reached out to the Erie County Bar Association, they don’t. I found a lawyer out of NYC who does handle veterinary malpractice and after speaking with her, she said we do have a case, the vet was 100% in the wrong and the fact we are in this situation that could’ve been avoided completely had we of been given the correct information is sad.

Unfortunately this lawyer is quite expensive. Her retainer fee alone is $3,000 and then her hourly rate is $300. The lawsuit isn’t about the money for me, the lawsuit is so this doesn’t happen again. It’s to work towards change, the change I’m not sure yet, but I truly believe everyone should have the correct information before they make life changing decisions. Had we of been given the correct information, I wouldn’t be here today writing this. I wouldn’t be wearing my dogs ashes on my neck. I’d be happy, my family would be happy.

My dogs story is not the only story with a heartbreaking end, mine is just one of the stories being shared.

What I’ve learned over the last few weeks about this vet has my stomach in knots. I want to make change, I want Piper to be remembered that for the beautiful girl she was. Our animals are our babies, and this should never happen to another beloved animal again.

Thank you for reading and if you can’t donate, please share, get Pipers name out there for what they did. Keep her name remembered, she deserves justice.