Veterinarian’s License Revoked After Deceased Puppies Found in Freezer

A California veterinarian was forced to surrender his license on January 31 after horrific conditions were discovered at his place of practice. Rodney Ken Hatayama, the owner of the South County Veterinary Hospital in Selma, California, was accused of botching medical procedures and causing animals to suffer.

The gruesome conditions at Hatayama’s practice were first discovered on August 16, 2022. According to court documents, these included “poor ventilation, deceased animals stored in an unsanitary manner, and unsterile surgical equipment.” Jessica Sieferman, the executive officer of the California Veterinary Medical Board who observed the space, found that almost every room was “cluttered, dirty, dusty, unsanitary, and had a foul odor of blood or internal organs” — including the surgical room. 

Sieferman also found expired medications throughout the entire facility, as well as several mislabeled drugs. According to the LA Times, there was a can of Diet 7-Up in the fridge next to vaccines and liquid gabapentin.

A total of 25 violations were uncovered — including, most horrifically, “several deceased neonatal puppies in five open white buckets in the freezer.”

The sanitary violations were not the only reason Hatayama’s license was revoked. The veterinarian has a history of malpractice when it comes to his animal patients. The first incident took place in 2015 and involves a four-year-old Chihuahua named Mr. Tillman. The Chihuahua was experiencing joint pain, and despite the fact that Hatayama was not a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, he performed orthopedic surgery on Mr. Tillman. He did not prescribe any pain medication following the surgery.

A month later, Mr. Tillman was still experiencing a lot of pain. His pet parent, Eric Garcia, brought the Chihuahua to another veterinarian.

“The doctor told me, ‘That is not how you perform this surgery,’” Garcia told the LA Times. Garcia learned that Hatayama had drilled holes into Mr. Tillman’s bones and tied them together with wire. Mr. Tillman had to undergo four more additional surgeries, and he hasn’t been the same since. 

“He has his good days. On the days that it’s bad, it’s work. I have to stay up with him all night because he can’t sleep,” Garcia said. He filed a complaint with the California Veterinary Medical Board a year later.

According to the LA Times, Garcia is particularly upset that Hatayama has not addressed the victims publicly. He also questions why it took the board so long to act. Ultimately, though, he urges pet parents everywhere to pay extra close attention to veterinary procedures. 

“If you see something [that’s concerning], don’t stay silent,” he said. “Speak up, or ask the doctor what’s going on.”

Another incident occurred in January 2018. A Tabby named Ohno was brought in for congestion, wheezing, and swaying while walking. According to Your Central Valley News, Hatayama diagnosed Ohno with a central nervous system lesion without any neurological examination. He also failed to diagnose her with a tumor and instead diagnosed her with chronic stomatitis, despite lack of evidence.

In the third case, Hatayama injected Zoey, a three-year-old Maltese, with about 16 times the recommended dosage of ear medication. The medication was also unneeded; Zoey had to visit another vet months later to get a proper diagnosis. 

The last case involved a German Shepherd mix named Sol. Hatayama did not check her pre-anesthetic heart rate or respiratory rate before performing a surgery removing her ovaries and uterus. He also did not prescribe her pain medication afterwards.

Hatayama’s license was officially surrendered on January 31. Your Central Valley news reports that the practice has been taken over by his daughter, Dr. Stephanie Hatayama.