CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A south Charlotte animal clinic is shut down by the state until further notice, accused of being a danger to animals and the public.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Animal Control officers were inside the Woodlawn Animal Hospital talking to an employee when Channel 9 crews arrived Friday. The state issued an emergency order to shut down operations and suspend veterinarian Marguerite Horstman's license.
From the outside of the building, an Eyewitness News crew could see the yard was overgrown. There was also trash and an old canvas in a kennel area where a dog was spotted sitting outside.
Lavonda Wilks works next door and said she helped to feed a cat that wandered over from the hospital into her office last week.
"He demolished the food. He was starving. You could tell that he probably hadn't ate in days," Wilks said.
During four separate inspections in May and November last year as well as March and April of this year inspectors noted several problems. They included cat and rat feces in a radiology room, broken and unclean cages, expired drugs and surgery instruments that had not been properly sterilized since 2007.
"That is just disgusting. I'm grossed out by the whole idea. That's absolutely nasty," said pet owner Isha Dean.
Dean recently moved to the area and was planning to take her 8-week-old puppy to Woodlawn Animal Hospital for rabies shots. Dean said she's glad she never got the chance.
"People's animals are family, they're our children, and you care for them and love them." Dean said. "That's absolutely ridiculous and she should be held accountable."
In January, Horstman told the state an illness had delayed correcting the violations and that her hospital would be "essentially closed" until she could return to work and detail the repairs herself. Horstman may apply to re-open only if she corrects all the violations and passes a state inspection.
State shuts down south Charlotte animal hospital
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