A skilled British veterinarian, Dr. John Ellis, tragically took his own life using euthanasia drugs from his clinic, reportedly due to the emotional toll of euthanizing pets whose affluent owners refused to pay for their treatment, his mother revealed. The 35-year-old vet was deeply distressed by the unnecessary deaths of animals whose lives could have been saved if their owners had been willing to cover the cost of their medical care, Tina Ellis shared during a court hearing into her son’s death.
Dr. Ellis was deeply affected by the contrast between wealthy pet owners who would not pay for their pets’ treatment and less affluent individuals who would do anything to save their pets. He expressed his frustration to his mother, citing instances where pet owners refused to pay for their pets’ treatment while flaunting their wealth, such as driving brand new cars.
On November 6, 2022, Dr. Ellis told his family he was going to his office to pick up a package. He informed a nurse at the clinic that he was collecting medication to euthanize a friend’s dog at home. However, he instead went to a friend’s vacant house and administered the lethal drug to himself via an intravenous drip. His body was later discovered by the friend whose house he had used.
The court hearing also revealed that Dr. Ellis had been planning to end his relationship with his long-term partner, whom he had been unfaithful to. He had been experiencing sleep issues and financial difficulties that had led to him sleeping in his car while on call.
His mother shared at the inquest that the accumulation of these issues had made life increasingly difficult for her son. The assistant coroner for Hampshire, Simon Burge, ruled the death a suicide, describing it as a tragic loss of a talented life.
Dr. Ellis was employed at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, which paid tribute to him on Facebook, describing him as a wonderful person and an incredibly talented vet whose presence always brightened the day. His loss, they said, would be deeply felt by all who knew him.