Ala. state board finds veterinarian guilty after controversial hearing

Longtime veterinarian William Weber, DVM, owner of Eastwood Animal Clinic and the owner of record for the Alabama Spay/Neuter Clinic, both in Irondale, Ala., was found guilty on five charges made by the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (ASBVME) regarding operation of the nonprofit low-cost clinic. The board, which conducted a months-long administrative hearing on the matter, voted to revoke Weber's license for a year and ordered him to pay a $1,000 fine for each guilty charge.

The foundation of the ASBVME's argument is that the state's low-cost spay/neuter clinics name a “supervising veterinarian” as owner of a clinic, but in actuality, a non-licensed 501c3 organization owns the clinic facility and equipment in violation of the Alabama Veterinary Practice Act, which requires a licensed veterinary owner. The administrative hearings began in January; the drawn-out process of interrogating Weber, run not by a third-party judge, but by the board itself, has caused some to term the hearings a “circus.” The ASBVME charged Weber with a myriad of allegations in violation of the practice act as per the administrative complaint, though the five of which he was found guilty have not yet been made public.

Weber was given 30 days to appeal the decision.

Longtime veterinarian William Weber, DVM, owner of Eastwood Animal Clinic and the owner of record for the Alabama Spay/Neuter Clinic, both in Irondale, Ala., was found guilty on five charges made by the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (ASBVME) regarding operation of the nonprofit low-cost clinic. The board, which conducted a months-long administrative hearing on the matter, voted to revoke Weber’s license for a year and ordered him to pay a $1,000 fine for each guilty charge.

The foundation of the ASBVME’s argument is that the state’s low-cost spay/neuter clinics name a “supervising veterinarian” as owner of a clinic, but in actuality, a non-licensed 501c3 organization owns the clinic facility and equipment in violation of the Alabama Veterinary Practice Act, which requires a licensed veterinary owner. The administrative hearings began in January; the drawn-out process of interrogating Weber, run not by a third-party judge, but by the board itself, has caused some to term the hearings a “circus.” The ASBVME charged Weber with a myriad of allegations in violation of the practice act as per the administrative complaint, though the five of which he was found guilty have not yet been made public.

Weber was given 30 days to appeal the decision.

Watch the video below to see a portion of the ASBVME's administrative hearing with Weber.