SEGEV:VET WHO HID DOG’S CANCER FROM HER OWNERS TO INFLATE BILL CAN WORK AGAIN
A vet who hid a dog’s fatal cancer from her owners in order to inflate his bill is fit to work again – two years after he was kicked out of the profession.
Kifir Segev, 48, was struck off in May 2009 after a disciplinary panel found him guilty of ‘disgraceful conduct’ and ‘pervasive dishonesty’.
He was then caught out by an undercover film crew allowing nurses to perform medical procedures on animals at the Medivet surgery in Stanmore, Middsx, in breach of professional guidelines.
Israeli-born Segev also continued to advertise himself as a ‘veterinary surgeon’, although he claims he did not treat any animals.
A Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons panel have now agreed to restore him to the professional register after finding he had undergone ‘extensive professional and personal rehabilitation’.
Chair Alison Bruce said: ‘The Committee was impressed by Mr Segev’s complete and genuine written and public apologies for what he had done.
‘He expressed his profound remorse for his actions.’
She added: ‘Restoration to the register of a veterinary surgeon who has been guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect of such seriousness is something not to be undertaken lightly.
‘But in all the circumstances of this case, the Committee has decided that Mr Segev is a fit person to restore to the register.’
The original hearing was told Segev had treated a greyhound-lurcher named Zoe in November 2006 and tried to ‘railroad’ her owners into paying £7,400 for treatment.
X-rays revealed the animal had inoperable tumours, but he claimed they had vanished after keeping the animal in overnight.
A few months earlier the dog had had part of a cancerous jaw removed and only needed pain relief. She was put down in February 2007.
Segev was also filmed as part of a BBC Panorama documentary, broadcast in July last year, entitled ‘It Shouldn’t Happen At A Vets’.
An undercover journalist caught him allowing nurses to administer anaesthesia and the programme showed he was still listed as a ‘veterinary surgeon’ on the plaque outside his surgery – though he
had removed the MRCVS initials.
Segev was still working as practice manager at the surgery when the programme aired, but resigned shortly afterwards and has since been working in a restaurant kitchen.
He applied to be restored to the register in April this year and told the panel he hopes to work for the RSPCA if allowed to practice again.
Giving evidence, Segev said he now accepted full responsibility for his actions.
He added: ‘I have had a lot of time to reflect and understand. I got it extremely wrong.
‘I will be ashamed of my conduct all my life but I will be someone who has learned a great lesson.’
Segev apologised for his ‘hostile demeanour’ at the original disciplinary hearing, where he denied all the charges against him.
He also claimed he had been bombarded with abusive emails after the Panorama programme was broadcast.
Segev told the hearing he has taken hundreds of hours of professional development courses since he was struck off and undergone a course of psychotherapy.
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