U.K. Veterinarian Died by Suicide After Clients Opted for Euthanasia Instead of Treatment
His mother testified in front of the Winchester Coroners Court.
Published Nov. 19 2024, 3:51 p.m. ET
Content warning: this article contains information about suicide and animal death, which may be hard for some readers.
In November 2024, grieving mother Tina Ellis testified in front of a U.K. court about the reason why she says her 35-year-old son took his life, and her explanation is as heartbreaking as it is shocking.
According to his mother, the late Dr. John Ellis, once a successful veterinarian, reportedly became so distraught by the way his wealthy customers treated their pets that he couldn't take it anymore. Keep reading about Dr. Ellis, as well as what those who knew him said he was doing in the days leading up to his death.
A veterinarian died by suicide after becoming distraught that patients were euthanizing healthy pets.
According to the UK Metro, Tina Ellis relayed to the Winchester Coroners Court how her son told his family that he was swinging by his office on Nov. 6, 2022, to pick up a package before heading out the door for the last time.
Once he arrived at his office, he told a nurse that he needed to get the supplies to euthanize a friend's dog, which included the medication used by the practice to put animals to sleep.
Ellis then went to the vacant home of a friend, where he set up the medication in an IV for himself. Sadly, Ellis' body was later discovered by the friend who owned the home when they returned home from vacation.
Ellis' mother shared how her son had spent so much time complaining to her about callousness from wealthy clients who opted to put their pets to sleep instead of paying for treatments in the days and weeks leading up to his death.
“He was finding that destroying,” she said, later adding that her son had noted that many of these people would complain about the cost of veterinary care while driving their pets to the shelter in a brand-new car.
“Other people who were really struggling would do anything to save their animals," Elli's mom said, quoting her son in court.
The vet's personal life was also in turmoil ahead of his death.
Sadly, things had been going poorly for Ellis both in the office and outside of it, according to others who testified in court. The UK Metro notes that in addition to Ellis' despondence over being asked to put down pets that could've been treated, his personal life had also begun to unravel.
Ellis was reportedly experiencing a lot of financial hardship from his veterinary residency.
"All of those things completely built up and he was finding it difficult," his mom told the courts, according to the New York Post.
This, coupled with the fact that Ellis had allegedly been cheating on his long-term partner and sleeping in his car when he was on call, seemed to create the perfect storm for the talented doctor who so many people seemed to love.
When Animed made the Facebook post announcing the vet's death, several people jumped into the comments to express their condolences and share the many ways that Dr. Ellis had touched their lives while he worked at AniMed.
Sadly, it sounds like many miss the vet, including the coroner, who called the death "a huge waste of a talented life."
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can reach out for help by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK(8255).