SOS

Personal Opinion (are we still allowed one of those?)

To Revoke a license to practice for these allegations (substantiated or not ) is far too severe of a punishment. OAR clinic violations, if existing, are easily fixed. The Board is being far too severe and uncooperative. The decision to suspend and revoke appears to have been made prior to the “routine” clinic inspection. None of the issues ever brought before the Board regarding Dr. Powell warrant a revocation of a license to practice.

1. The clinic has access to and does use outside lab facilities and services along with doing some in house testing at the clinic.

2. The clinic has a stainless steel permanent kennel tower for smaller and medium dogs. Portable crates (which are adequate housing) are used for large dogs. Cats are normally kept in the carriers they come in or placed in one of the clinics portable carriers. Dogs are rarely leashed to the surgery preparation table, only to receive treatment or when it is in the best interest of the dog.

3. Veterinary Technician, (not certified but technician by the Boards own rules) induce only under direct supervision.

4. The pharmacy is maintained and controlled drugs are not kept on premises except during business hours.

5. The drugs used most to control pain are not controlled substances and the Board never even asked what was routinely used for pain control.

6. The surgery room is designated and surgical drapes are employed. The surgery area is cleaned between each surgery.

7. Clients are always advised of the treatment before treatment is administered and when Parvo cases are treated with collagen rectally and IT WORKS than why is the Board not interested in this treatment that saves the animal?

8. If patients are suspected of being contagious they are either kept in the vehicle they came in or placed in a covered kennel in a separate room away from any other animals.

9. The clinic provides fecal exams among others and for those clients whose choice is treat the animal or pay for testing, because of a shortage of funding available, the animal should not have to suffer or even die for lack of testing if the treatment decided upon helps. There is a waiver form for the client to sign in order to forego recommended tests.

Dr. Powell is a very competent veterinarian and his surgical procedures have a success rate that is comparable to or better than the vast majority of practicing veterinarians. Dr. Powell is human and has made an extremely rare surgical or diagnostic error, he openly admits this and always takes steps to learn from these mistakes and ensure they will not happen again (he no longer spays kittens under 12 weeks old, for example). We are not claiming to be perfect or flawless by any means, any clinic violation can be easily corrected and Dr. Powell can and has proven his competence as a veterinarian. All we are trying to say is that the OVMEB’s decision to revoke Dr. Powell’s license to practice was much too harsh of a punishment. Dr. Powell has the right to and will request a hearing regarding the suspension order and revocation notice but this can be a lengthy and expensive process.

We Feel The OVMEB’s decision is a disservice not only to Dr. Powell but also the very public they are claiming to protect.

What bothers me the most is that these people are Veterinarians the very ones we entrust the lives of our pets/babies to and their oath is supposed to put the animals first (not the ability of clients to pay, for services they cannot afford) and to the other clinics who encourage euthanasia if a client cannot afford the treatment they choose for the animal, shame on you for believing that animals have less rights than humans. No one will prosper from this injustice, the animals are the ones who will lose the most. These issues go farther than the individual, they are about standing up for our rights as citizens and voters of Coos County and Oregon and for standing up for the rights of a person whose has given so much to his community.

Pi Land Ranch

Spay / Neuter Clinic!

As of July 9, 2007 Dr. Powell’s Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic is closed.

New Nov 6, 2007

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED!

Thank you for your continued support, it has meant the world to Dr. Powell.

Dr. Powell turned 77 years young in October 2007 and has decided not to fight the board at this point. I am keeping this page on the website for anyone who cares to research what has happened themselves. I am also updating Dr Powell’s page, so check it out when you have a chance. Thank you to all who supported our efforts! It is sad that it wasn’t enough and I feel for all the animals and owners who suffer because of it.

The OVMEB threatened a harassment and smear campaign and apparently they are living up to that. Here is the latest letter sent to Dr. Powell. July 12, 2007 Letter

The pot luck in the park on July 14, 2007 went extremely well, lots of food and fun for all. $800 was raised for the legal fund !!($1200 in total now)!! Thank you to everyone who has donated not only their money but also their time and support.

The letter and phone campaign is very successful and we need to keep it going, we can’t just fade away.

Dr. Powell met with an attorney on July 13, 2007, he was given a retainer and is working on the case now. As soon as we hear the official word from him we will let you know.

We have started a legal fund to help Dr. Powell with the fight. Dr. Powell has given a lot to this community and now he is having to fight an expensive legal battle in order to continue to do so.

If you would like to help or donate to the legal fund please contact us or donations can be sent to Dr. Powell

Please Help Support Dr. Powell’s Legal Fund

Donations can be sent to:

Dr. William Powell

132 N Wasson

Coos Bay, OR 97420

Those of you who are making payments to Dr. Powell can mail payments to the above address and they will go to the legal fund also. We must continue to fight this injustice and not just let it fade away. They need to understand that we will not just go away (the need for affordable veterinary care will never go away!) and if they are allowed to shut down Dr. Powell the precedent will be set to shut down any clinic . The battle has only begun.

The Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board has issued an Emergency License Suspension Order and Notice Of Proposed Revocation on July 10, 2007. Scroll down to see links to the correspondences between the OVMEB and DR. Powell.

For those of us who are clients of the clinic we know what the clinic is like and that the main concern of the clinic and DR. Powell is the best interest of the animals (not his bank account). Dr. Powell has treated literally tens of thousands of animals in Coos County (and many from other Oregon counties) with a extraordinary success rate, all without focusing on cost or ability to pay. For the OVMEB to suspend and revoke a license to practice for allegations and infractions is an overwhelmingly blatant misuse of authority. But that is just my opinion. What do you think? Please let your voice and more importantly the voice of the animals who will inevitably suffer be heard. Together we can stop this gross miscarriage of justice. Write a letter to the OVMEB and the office of the governor (and anyone else you can think of) and let them know how you feel.

Veterinary Medical Examining Board

800 N E Oregon Street, suite 407

Portland, OR 97232

Phone (971)-673-0224 / Fax: (971)-673-0226 / TTY: (971)-673-0372

e-mail: ovmeb.info@state.or.us

web site: http://www.oregon.gov/OVMEB

THE GOVERNOR APPOINTS THE MEMBERS OF THE “BOARD”

Governor Kulongoski

160 State Capitol

900 Court Street

Salem, OR 97301-4047.

Phone: 503-378-4582 / Fax: 503-378-6827