Supporters back vet accused of animal cruelty
Joshua S. Garber/Daily News-Sun
June 13, 2007 - 10:19AM
The Sun City West veterinarian charged with animal cruelty Monday returned to loyal customers when he went back to work Tuesday.
Dr. Joshua Winston posted bond Monday night, telling local media he has never physically abused an animal in his life.
Within the first two hours of being open, the Sun City West Animal Hospital, 13576 Camino del Sol, received about 25 calls from supporters, said Donna Warner, office spokeswoman.
“We have been inundated today with overwhelming support,” she said. “For the most part, people have been very supportive, calling up saying, ‘We know, you, we love you, this isn’t true.’”
The number of people who called doubting Winston could be counted on one hand, she said. “Twenty-five years this man has been a vet and he has been dealing with animals since he was very little.”
Dr. Diana Kraus, a naturopathic physician from Mesa, says she has known Winston the past eight years through directing the Cast Off Cockers Rescue Mission, a cocker spaniel rescue group. She talks to to him daily and has taken more than 500 dogs with ailments to him for treatment, she said.
“He’s never made a mistake, he’s never lost his temper,” she said. “We certainly wouldn’t go to Sun City West from southeast Mesa if he wasn’t the best veterinarian we know.”
Winston’s ability to diagnose pet ailments impressed her as a doctor and are unparalleled in the Valley, she said. “He’s a fabulous diagnostician because he cares enough to do research.”
Kraus said Winston told her the Chihuahua he allegedly harmed had become “crate aggressive,” meaning it would growl and bark when people would get near the cage it was being kept in. When he took the dog out of the cage, it became wild in his hands, flailing about and trying to bite him.
He engaged in a form of humane restraint where you hold the dog by the scruff of the neck and tap it on the nose or forehead with your finger to break it from that trance, she said.
“There are some dogs, and (especially dogs with bulgy eyes) are more prone to this than others, where when they get over-excited, the blood pressure rises and an eye could pop out,” Kraus said. “I hope that other vets are going to step forward and say, ‘Hey, this could happen.”Winston described the employee that phoned the police to Kraus as oversensitive and over-excitable, she said.
“(The news) shocked me because it was so contrary to my own personal experience with Dr. Winston,” said Don Gerboth, president of the Sun City West Canine Companion club.
Gerboth said he had been taking his dog to the office since before Winston got there about four years ago.
“I’ve always found them to provide high quality service,” he said.
Warner and Kraus both said they feel the information being released to the public does not paint an accurate picture of what really happened.
“I’ve had dogs that have bit him in the face and he’s never reacted with anger,” Kraus said. “I think Sheriff Joe is making an example of the wrong man.”
“What I think happened is certain information is being scrutinized and misreleased to the public,” Warner said. “Once we get the bugs off the windshield, I think things will settle back to normal.”
BULLSHIT!!! He was restraining it and flicked it's nose and it's eye popped out.
Yeah Right!!!
