TEXAS - Texas veterinarian Kristen Lindsey learned Tuesday her license will be suspended for one year after she killed a cat with a bow and arrow and then posted the now-viral photo online. Lindsey was also put on four years probation.
Shortly after Lindsey posted the photo to Facebook in April of 2015, it caused outrage among animal advocates across the country. The Facebook post read, "My first bow kill. The only good feral cat is one with a bow through its head! Vet of the year award...gladly accepted."
After the photo went viral Lindsey was fired, but an Austin County Grand Jury did not charge her with animal cruelty.
One year later, animal advocates from across the country attended Lindsey's hearing over whether or not she would keep her license. Board members heard testimony from several people involved, including a family who claimed the cat was theirs and that it was neutered.
But a co-worker of Lindsey's told the board she overheard Lindsey speaking with her boss and landlord who told her to "take care of the cat."
"What I understood him to mean was for Kristen to shoot the cat," said Karen Chapman, Lindsey's co-worker. "... People do that all the time in Washington County."
In August, the State Office of Administrative Hearings recommended a one-year suspension of Lindsey's license and an additional four years on probation. They also recommended continuing education and 100 hours of community service.
The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners decided to accept those recommendations at Tuesday's hearing.
