Multiple Pet Owners Criticize Rhode Island Veterinarian, Sparked by Dog’s Death

Multiple Pet Owners Criticize Rhode Island Veterinarian, Sparked by Dog’s Death

A chorus of pet owners is raising questions about a series of incidents at a veterinary clinic in Rhode Island. 

Bristol resident Keith Maloney shared his story about his 12-year-old Golden Retriever “Fenway” that he took to Harbor Animal Hospital in Warren for a routine check-up.

Hours later, Fenway was dead. 

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On March 8, Maloney said he dropped off his seemingly healthy pet at the vet before she was “carried out in her own urine."

Maloney was left with questions about what exactly transpired before she died, and what he said has been a lack of answers. 

“It was really horrific. Her passing would have been bad enough but what happened is just awful,” Maloney told GoLocal. 

In a Facebook post about Fenway's death that garnered hundreds of reactions, interactions, and shares, people came forward with their own stories of experiences at the East Bay clinic — and some with veterinarian Dr. Wade Cordy.

Cordy did not respond to multiple requests for comment. 

One Dog Owner’s Story

Maloney, who is 78-years-old, said he was waiting for Fenway on March 8 for over an hour after dropping her off for the checkup, and said he desperately needed to use a restroom. 

“So I went to the door — with a mask — and told them they needed to let me use their facilities, or I needed to take my dog,” said Maloney. 

Maloney said he was told he could not enter the facility.

According to Maloney, two techs “carried Fenway out in her own urine,” and did not tell him anything about why she was in that condition. 

Maloney acknowledged he was irate to see his dog in that state.

“I used some harsh language. I said, 'What the f—k happened to my dog,'" he said. 

“I took her home, and she got worse,” said Maloney. “I called the vet to follow up. They told me to take Fenway to an emergency animal hospital.” 

Maloney said he went to take Fenway to one facility in East Providence but was turned away due to a shortage of staffing, and had to drive Fenway across the state to East Greenwich to another facility. 

“By the time I got there, Fenway had passed,” said Maloney. 

Maloney said he met with Cordy the next day — but could not get any answers as to what happened to Fenway at the animal hospital. 

“He used some big words, and tried to hand me a piece of paper,” said Maloney. “I didn’t want that. I wanted to know what exactly happened in there to have her come out the way she did.” 

“[Cordy] was not only unprofessional, he was really rude to me and the memory of my dog. There was no sympathy,” said Maloney. 

Maloney said he has filed a complaint with the Rhode Island Department of Health, and was told by the state agency that they are opening an investigation.

“If there is a hearing, I hope that the other people who posted their stories about Cordy get to come as well,” said Maloney, of the dozens of people who have come forward with their own experiences.

“I didn’t want to say anything, but my daughter who lives in California was so angry — she sent them a message at the animal hospital,” said Maloney. “And she got a message back saying she better be careful what she says in social media, or basically they will sue.”

“I spoke with my attorney and we had a long discussion,” said Maloney. “He said there’s Rhode Island law that says as long as what you’re saying is true, you can say anything. It’s when you say anything untrue there’s a problem.”

Maloney said Cordy later told him “he could have him arrested” for entering the doorway of the building when he had asked about using the restroom. 

More Customer Experience  

Another Harbor Animal Clinic customer posted that their dog had an adverse reaction — the very same day Fenway was at the vet.

“My fiancé and I are horrified reading this because our dog was there that same exact day and something was not right with him either,” said Samantha Viera on Maloney’s post. “After his appointment, he came back into my car and immediately had a bowel movement and threw up multiple times in my car which he has never done. Then later one, his face broke out into large hives everywhere.”

“When I called there was zero explanation as to what happened to him while under his care,” Viera continued. “It makes you wonder what is really going on inside there. We will definitely be switching veterinarians.” 

Another family that utilized the facility said they had a “big” problem with Cordy and the animal hospital last year. 

“We had Creed — he was five, and an English bulldog,” said Corinne Francis. “He tested positive for Lyme when we rescued him. They said he was positive [for Lyme] and had no symptoms. They claimed we turned down more testing but that’s not true, we would have never done that.”

“He started having tremors, and they refused to see him,” said Frances. “If they’d treated him, he’d still be here. They said if they gave out [the antibiotic] to every animal who tested positive for Lyme they’d run out of the med. We had to put him down a week later.”

Frances shared an interaction in which her mother criticized Cordy’s practice — and the scathing response from the vet. 

“Ms. Francis, in response to your irresponsible tirade, 5 out 6 boarded specialists would not have treated with Doxycycline without additional tests…[and] you declined further testing,” said the Harbor Animal Hospital in a Facebook message. 

“We never declined further testing,” said Francis’ mom Suzanne. 

Warren resident Chris Connors said he had taken his cockatiel to Harbor Animal Center — and “would not recommend it to anyone.”

“We noticed he was a little sick — we called around and Dr. Cordy was supposed to be a specialized bird vet,” said Connors. “They put him on an antibiotic — he came off the med, he ran out we wanted to get it filled. They wouldn’t give us a refill, and said he’d call us. Next week we started a new med. We ended up going to another doctor when he wasn’t improving — they said take him to the emergency facility in East Greenwich. They told us there the antibiotic he was on was toxic to birds. It’s an anti-fungal. He spent a week in intensive care and oxygen — they couldn’t say it was the medicine that killed him, but it put him over the edge, that in their opinion it was toxic.”

“Harbor Animal was just kind of like we’re sorry, we’ll put it in a note, and that’s all they’d give us. Dr. Cordy was always short, dismissive. He likes to hide beside big terms, when he could just say ‘swelling,’” said Connors. “I’m an EMT. We’d never act like that.”

This story was originally published 3/16/21 3:36 PM