A ‘talented’ vet killed himself with a drug used to euthanize pets after becoming increasingly annoyed with wealthy clients unnecessarily asking him to put their animals down, an inquest heard.

A medical examiner, Dr. He said he was annoyed that people with ‘brand new’ cars, which John Ellis had parked outside his practice, were not paying to help their animals.

In contrast, the 35-year-old told her mother that clients who cannot afford treatment often bring their pets in too late for any treatment.

Tina Ellis, Conservative councilor in Fareham, Hampshire, told the inquest into her son’s death that she found it ‘devastating’.

At the hearing, ‘Stressed’ Dr. was said to be living a ‘double life’ because he was secretly cheating on his long-term partner. Ellis tricked a veterinary nurse into administering the lethal drug, claiming she needed it to calm him down. a friend’s ‘big dog’.

Instead, he used the drug to take his own life by injecting it into an intravenous drip; Mr Ellis’s father said the ease of access to euthanasia medication was like giving his son a ‘loaded gun’.

Winchester Coroner’s Court was told by Dr., who works in a practice close to the town. At the time of his death in November 2022, Ellis was said to be experiencing significant stress in both his professional and personal life.

Miss Ellis told the hearing that her son told her: ‘The owners are leaving it too late to arrive, they are not asking for help early enough for what could be quite simple things.’

Veterinarian Dr John Ellis, 35, committed suicide by taking some medication used to put pets to sleep.

His son reportedly said: ‘When someone says they won’t pay to help their pet and he’s sitting there outside with a brand new car and other people who are really struggling (financially) would do anything to save him. But there was nothing they could do because it was too late.

“He found it devastating,” added a heartbroken Ms Ellis.

Dr Ellis was working at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists at the time of his death and told his mother he was having trouble sleeping.

Miss Ellis told the inquest that she sometimes slept in her car during a shift rather than going home and going to the vet in an emergency. He added that his son was also under financial pressure.

‘This whole thing had fully developed and he was having a hard time doing it,’ he said.

Also in the investigation, Dr. It was also heard that Ellis had been secretly cheating on his partner of 12 years, Ashley James, with another man named Ryan Hunt for the last two years.

Alex MacDonald, director of Animed, where the vet obtained the drugs he used to end his life, told the inquest that Dr Ellis was ‘almost living a double life’.

Radiographer Mr James told the hearing he did not know Dr Ellis was cheating on him until after his death.

“Stressed” Dr Ellis tricked a veterinary nurse into giving him the deadly drug by claiming he needed it to put a friend’s “big dog” to sleep, the inquest heard.

On the evening of November 6, 2022, the inquest heard the vet notified his mother and a friend of his intention to leave Mr James, telling her he would buy her some food and pick up a parcel from Animed.

Once there, he told a nurse that he was allowed to take some medication to put a friend’s dog to sleep at home. The inquest heard the dose was enough to euthanize a ‘large’ dog.

Dr Ellis then went to the house of a friend who was on holiday in Tenerife at the time.

He called Mr. James and Mr. James asked Dr. She said Ellis ‘did something stupid, said he loved me.’

He also called Mr Hunt, who told the inquest: ‘He said he wouldn’t hurt me anymore and hung up.’

After the police were called, Dr Ellis was found giving himself the drugs in the back bathroom of the house.

He was taken to the Royal Hampshire County hospital in Winchester but was pronounced dead in the early hours of November 7.

Dr Ellis’s father, Robert, told the inquest that the ease of access to the drug that killed his son left him feeling as if he had access to a “loaded gun”.

Recording the verdict of suicide, Deputy Hampshire coroner Simon Burge said Dr Ellis’ death was “a huge waste of a talented life”.

‘It was a matter of great sadness to his family and all his friends that he had made this hasty and unnecessary decision.

Dr Ellis was an assistant at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists at the time of his death.

‘He did this in the context of relationship problems in multiple relationships,’ he said. ‘She was confused by her long-term love and perhaps infatuation with this young man, Ryan, and the significant stress of residency training resulting from the financial pressures this caused.’

In his Preventing Future Deaths report to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Mr Burge warned about how Dr Ellis was able to get hold of drugs.

‘He used an intravenous route to self-administer toxic amounts of the drug, which he obtained by lying to his former employers that he needed it to euthanize a large dog.

‘He was able to access the drug he knew was dangerous without encountering any objection as to its purpose.

‘Veterinary surgeons, for example deceased persons, have easy access to potentially lethal drugs… without adequate controls in place to prevent their misuse.

‘In this case the deceased was able to make up a story that he needed medication to carry out a home visit where the alleged purpose was to euthanize a large dog.

‘(The drug) was given to him by his former employers; without any checks and review by another veterinary surgeon to confirm his explanation of why this was needed.

An investigation heard Dr Ellis was upset that people with ‘brand new’ cars parked outside his practice were not paying to help their animals

‘He was allowed to leave the veterinary surgery alone with medication, which he later used to take his own life via an intravenous drip.’

In a statement shared by suicide charity Amparo, the family said: ‘Those who knew John will remember him not only for his professional expertise, but also for his warmth, generosity and genuine love of animals.

‘He poured his heart into his work and his absence leaves a deep void in the lives of everyone who had the privilege of working with him and knowing him personally.

‘As a family we are devastated by the loss of John and continue to grapple with the heartbreak and shock of the death of someone so young and full of potential.

‘We want to use this opportunity to encourage anyone struggling with mental health issues to seek support and not suffer in silence.

‘No one should feel like they are alone and we urge everyone to reach out for help if needed.’

• For confidential support call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org.