From the Trussville Tribune Staff Reports
IRONDALE – Irondale veterinarian Dr. William B. Weber has been charged with 30 counts of possessing protected wildlife, according to a release from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
According to the release, Weber had 24 raccoons and six coyotes confiscated from Eastwood Animal Clinic and his residence in Irondale on July 20/ The animals were in cages that indicated long-term captivity and evidence suggested some animals were imported in a violation of state and federal law.
via alspay.org
The raccoons and coyotes were a threat because they are known carriers of rabies, but there is no approved vaccine. Humans could become infected through bites or scratches.
“Rabies is a very serious public health threat that is always fatal if proper medical treatment is not delivered soon after exposure,” Dr. Dee W. Jones, State Public Health Veterinarian with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) said in the press release. “Anyone who suspects they might have been exposed to a rabid animal should consult their doctor or county health department immediately.”
The animals were turned over to the USDA for rabies testing.
89 Comments
Byron Seahorn
Was he mistreating them? I would bet he was not.
Wanda Williamson
You should be ashamed putting this out with no research on your own …….
Leslie Mohns
All the good he has done for people and their animals… I really hope he doesn’t get in too much trouble for this.
Barbara Williams Lemley-Wheeler
We have enough corruption going on in Montgomery.. Leave Dr. Webber alone. He does more good for animals and low income people with assistance with sick and hurt animals. He does more good and I am sure he did not mean to break the law. Alabama has enough corruption in the Governor’s office, House and Senate . We need to focus on those things. This is just the Vets playing politics again. Come on State of Alabama this is wasting time and money .
Miranda Mauldin
Oh he meant too.Because the law says if you find a wild animal dying you are not to intervene,don’t take it to the vet ,let nature take it’s course,well he’s a dr,a Dr of animals,so yeah he helped them.This isn’t a case of catching healthy animals just because,they all had issues ,wheather they were sick ,injured ,or orphaned.And for the most part would be taken back
into the wild,except for the BLIND raccoon he’d had forever,because obviously….this is my vet and these are facts,no ill intentions,no animal hoarding,no mistreating,just saving lives.But ya know,that’s illegal.
Lori Mayes
Cathy Eason
Kim Harris Ellis
I’ll never forget his kindness to my animals when I was a young single mother. A true animal lover
Suzanne Williams Crosby
Ridiculous. Another case of government over regulation and over reach and thinking they have dominion over all. Then they go around capturing, tagging, banding, collaring, and stressing out wildlife all they please all in the name of “research” while the rest of us are charged, prosecuted, and banned from helping anything and told to leave wildlife alone. Apparently they think all wildlife belongs to them and would rather raid someone’s home and confiscate an animal only to euthanize it rather than allow anyone else to help.
Desiree' Lane Ellis
This is a good caring man. Who loves these animals. What a shame to punish him for this.
Teresa Maddox
Your the best dr. Weber
Byron Seahorn
A total waste of our $.
Brooke Tittle
Janine Bearden Dobbs
Georgie Rowan Allen
poor Dr Weber
Jennifer Littleton
Dr. Weber has been a blessing to our family on many occasions.
Lindsey Seal
Shelley Hasty
Tjo Johnson
Why?
Micah Davis Mitchell
Katie Davis Watson
Adell L. Anselmo
According to this raccoons and coyotes are not protected wildlife.
https://www.fws.gov/daphne/es/specieslst.html#Jefferson
Sabrina Millwee Meeks
Hmm I wonder why they didn’t include in the article how rabies testing is conducted???
Adell L. Anselmo
This is the actual problem.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/09/alabama_ending_rehab_of_baby_r.html
Debbie Reynolds-Swann
Stop punishing people that do good. There are plenty of people doing very bad things to animals. Oh yeah I forgot it would take too much time and effort to do much about them. This is just a political move anyway because of the way he chooses to conduct business that make too many other veterinarians angry. These animals better NOT be euthanized or you might have a enraged mob protesting that atrocity. Because ANIMAL LIVES MATTER. Especially that blind raccoon. He doesn’t deserve a death sentence. The people that want to play God usually don’t know God.
Adell L. Anselmo
I love Dr. Weber. He is a wonderful man. He has helped my family and me for years. He does not deserve this. What kind of doctor could ever turn a a sick or hurt animal away?! Not him. He has a heart of gold.
Robin Delawder
Vets in neighboring cities have been trying to get him shut down for years because “the competition was unfair” because his office was cheaper than them.
Robin Delawder
Angel Waldrop
Becky Kirbow
Leave this man alone! He is a advocate for the love and care of animals! Other vets are out to get him because he cares more for the healing of animals than he does for the money he can get for the care!
Adell L. Anselmo
Oh no…
Byron Seahorn
I would bet the coons and coyoties love him
Scott Key
Erin Key Price
Tina England
I agree, they left that little bit of information out. Its just not a simple test and they get to live.
Rhonda Brayman
Don’t they cut off their heads to do that test ?
Adell L. Anselmo
Horrible…
Cathy Eason
I can’t believe that
Heather Morgan
Dr. Weber is an amazing vet if it wasn’t for him my dog wouldn’t of made it idc what anybody says he’s still a good vet
Katie Phillips Morse
Thomas Morse, look it’s the dr from the vet we went inside once and turned around and walked straight back out of. Glad we didn’t stay.
Amber Renee Fadlevich
Man I hate that.
Miranda Mauldin
Sadly I’m sure they have been euthanized,I was in his office Tuesday and he told me they won’t tell him anything but he was sure they were doing it.That the officers kept saying if we get bit we have to kill them.They were rough with the animals and the staff ended up having to so their job for them.
Miranda Mauldin
They did.The coyotes,all but one,were babies and he told me they played like dogs.Most of the raccoons were being rehabilitated and would be released.He had one that was totally blind,he just lived there and was so sweet and happy
Byron Seahorn
So sad they are using my tax $ for this.
Gonzalez Jamie
Dr. Weber is a very animal lover and all he did is to help animals and he helped me with free spay on my dogs. And very nice vet. Please I bet when he give a free and very cheap service some one is not liking it.
Suzanne Williams Crosby
“No biological reason for saving them..” Geez.. It’s just the kind thing to do. Heaven forbid anyone be kind anymore.
Cindy Buchanan Vanheiden
Why can’t ppl just leave this man alone. He is the ONLY vet that is here for the animals. All the others want is money.
Cindy Buchanan Vanheiden
Why can’t ppl just leave this man alone. He is the ONLY vet that is here for the animals. All the others want is money.
Libby Roussel
Kaitlyn Roussel
Gina Valentini Gurley
°This literally makes me sick to my stomach and hurts my heart. Dr. Weber is an amazing man and veterinarian! He LOVES animals with all his heart. He has devoted his life to taking amazing care of so many animals.
°If you were to ever visit his office, you would see an overflowing parking lot. People wait for hours on end for Dr. Weber to take care of their pets. People check in to his office hours before he even arrives!
°Dr. Weber always puts the animal’s needs above anything else. He ensures all animals can receive the care they need. Charges are minimal…he is definitely NOT a veterinarian to make money. He is the only veterinarian I have ever met in my 22 years as a pet owner that I can say that about. He makes everything affordable for the benefit of the animals.
°Everyone I know adores him, including his staff. He has been the veterinarian of my pets for over 10 years. In those 10 years, his staff hasn’t changed much. Simply put, he is loved!
°In my personal opinion, anyone who has a problem with Dr. Weber, his practice, and/or any animals he has cared for has a vendetta against him. I can only speculate that other local veterinarians may envy his dedicated patients’ parents, as well as his employees. Again, I speculate that those same veterinarians may not like the fact that Dr. Weber provides affordable veterinarian care for animals.
°At the end of the day, Dr. Weber’s selfless, affordable, and loving care takes money out of their pocketbooks. Let’s be real, some veterinarians charge an arm and a leg. Not everyone can afford expensive veterinarian bills, regardless of their love for their pets. Dr. Weber makes this a non-issue for the parents of all of his patients.
°Please join me in prayer for Dr. Weber, his precious wife, and amazing staff. This is devastating!
Gina Valentini Gurley
Never in a million years would Dr. Weber hurt an animal.
Gina Valentini Gurley
Dr. Weber is an amazing person and veterinarian. There is nothing fancy about his office, but it is always clean. Thev saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” is the case at Eastwood Animal Care for sure. People wait hours for Dr. Weber to see their pets…have been for years. He is THE best!
Gina Valentini Gurley
All of the animals they took are now dead. Devastating!!
Jackie Dawson Keener
They need to leave Dr Weber alone, there just trying to shut him down because he doesn’t charge a arm and leg like the rest do. He’s helped a lot of people out with their animals that otherwise couldn’t afford it.
Katie Phillips Morse
Gina Valentini Gurley I’m glad that you found a vet you like. Unfortunately, it was anything but clean the day we went.
Beverly 'Bev' Taylor
Maybe he was treating them
Beverly 'Bev' Taylor
What is this witch hunt? They don’t have better things to do
Gina Valentini Gurley
It is not clean every minute of every day…animals have accidents, especially when they are sick. The staff cleans up as quickly as possible, but the care of the animals comes first. Oftentimes, Dr. Weber’s office is like an emergency room. With that being said, it is an “all hands on deck” approach to take care of the animal rather than cleaning. With that being said, I am sorry your visit to Dr. Weber’s office was disappointing.
Brittany Ellard Perryman
Bless him. He’s done so much for so many! They need to leave him alone.
Sabrina Patrick
This is ridiculous! This man actually cares about animals not money! People should be ashamed! He’s the best vet in Bham!
Gina Valentini Gurley
He has a heart…unlike the people who killed them.
Gina Valentini Gurley
Some people have started a GoFundMe campaign to show support for him. https://www.gofundme.com/2gseu84
Cindy McCarthy
He is the most caring vet I have ever used. My Siamese was very sick two years ago. Took him to Dr. Weber and he determined the cat had diabetes. Took over three weeks to get him stabilized and the right insulin dose determined. Finally had to have special insulin compounded for him. During this time, we were to be out of town for two weeks. Dr. Weber said he would keep our cat to continue treating him because he needed insulin twice a day. When we asked how much we owed when we returned and went to pick up our cat, he said whatever you want to pay me. The cat had been there almost a month, fed each day and given his insulin shots. No other vet would have done that without charging an exorbitant amount.
Tonya Hardin Yarchak
This is awful. I’ve never used him but always heard wonderful things about him. Glad to see a go fund me page. Also, those of you who have experienced this man’s kindness should maybe start a petition for his legal case. Remember judges and DIstrict Attorney’s are elected officials. Pressure from the public couldn’t hurt.
Jeremy Purvis
stupid laws
Tanya Samples Carey
Yep. If u ever rescue a stray he’s the one to go to. He seems to really care about all animals. I’m shocked.
Tanya Samples Carey
He didn’t charge my college student daughter who rescued a stray on the side of the road that had been abandoned and not cared for. Heck- we couldn’t get other vets to see her.
Angela Wright Osborn
A wonderful man!
Claire Eagan
This is stupid. He’s not hurting anyone. And from other stories on here he sounds like an incredible person who loves animals. He’s a vet, he probably took precautions with those animals having rabies.
Beverly 'Bev' Taylor
So they don’t have real criminals in their community to arrest?
Lauren Sanfilippo
Allison Blackwood
Barbara Hamill McGee
This is one of the kindest man I know. If he had these animals in his possession you can be assured he was doing it for their well being and safety. All of the money hungry angry haters need to be ashamed of themselves for continuing to harass this man.
Allison Blackwood
WHAT
Jennifer Carmichael McGee
He’s my vet and has been since 2002. Love that man.
Jennifer Carmichael McGee
Nancy Carmichael
Tanya Samples Carey
Also we had a Doberman when i was a kid. It had parvo. Our vet said hecodnt save him. Dr. Weber did!
Stephanie Allred
Linda Allred
Whitney Brooke Shirley
I bet he lives right off Old Leeds road
Kevin Nichols
Better then a person next door.
Kevin Nichols
All the stuff going on and this is what you want to report.
Mary Dearing
Love Dr. Weber… He’s the best vet ever and has been terribly mistreated !!!!
Judy White
A couple of years ago I saw two young coyotes in my yard. I called the non-emergency police number to ask them what to do. They gave me a toll-free number that turned out to be the state wildlife agency that has now charged this wonderful man with “possession of protected wildlife.” But coyotes are not protected. How do I know this? Because when I called them, the woman who answered the phone told me to shoot them, that it was legal to shoot them year-round except for several designated days each year.
Judy White
The only negative comment has been made by someone who does not know and has never used Dr. Weber.
Pam Owens Knight
LEAVE HIM ALONE!
Caiti Rainbow-Dash Beck
Ginny Beck
Ginger Jarrell Schultes
So so sad.
Frog Price
Lynn Price
Frog Price
What a shame. The morons on the board are on a witch hunt. Leave our old friend alone. He knows more about animals than anyone in the state. The bastards on the board are still mad about the low cost spay neuter clinic. They care only about their money.
Dr. Weber has saved my animals several times. He is our friend. Don’t mess with our old buddy.
Frog Price
This is info on a conspiracy by a state board. Goes much deeper than the charges.
Brittany Ellard Perryman
What can we do to help him?!
Frog Price
Not clean? He probably had already had a hundred pets through there in the last hour. Place is mopped continually. He doesn’t NEED YOUR BUSINESS! You will need him before he needs you.
Terri Coggin Lindley
We used Dr. Weber years ago. I loved him.
Katie Phillips Morse
Frog Price if only it were as simple as pet messes, but when there are roaches climbing the walls, it’s not a place I care to stay. My pets and I are much happier at our current vet, and I’m happy paying more for cleaner facilities. You really shouldn’t let someone else’s experience of a business get you so bent out of shape when it doesn’t concern you in the least.
Thomas Morse
He may not “NEED MY BUSINESS” but he does need an exterminator and apparently needs a good attorney too. Plenty of places to take our pets so I’m sure we’ll be fine without him.
Elizabeth McDaniel
Love Dr Weber! One of the finest men in Birmingham