A vet who became depressed after wealthy clients unnecessarily asked him to put their animals down killed himself with a drug used to euthanize pets, 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, weren’t paying to help their animals.

By contrast, clients who can’t afford treatment often bring their pets in too late for any action to be taken, the 35-year-old told her mother.

Tina Ellis, Conservative councilor in Fareham, Hampshire, told the inquest into her son’s death that she was devastated.

In the Preventing Future Deaths report sent to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the coroner said it was concerning that Dr Ellis was able to obtain the drugs he used to end his life.

At the hearing, 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 giving him the deadly drug, claiming that a friend needed it to suppress his illness. “big dog”.

Instead, he used the drug to take his own life via intravenous drip.

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 had told her: “The owners are leaving it too late to arrive, they’re not asking for help early enough for things that could be quite simple.”

He said: “When you have someone saying they won’t pay to help their animals, and they’re sitting there outside with a brand new car, and other people who are really struggling (financially) would do anything to save their animals. But it’s too late now so there’s nothing they can do.”

“He found it devastating,” he added.

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

He said he sometimes sleeps in his car during a shift instead of driving home and having to go to the vet in an emergency, and he’s also under financial pressure.

“This whole thing had completely developed and he was finding it difficult,” 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”.

Mr James, the radiographer, was interviewed by Dr James at the hearing. She said she didn’t know Ellis was cheating on her until after his death.

On the evening of November 6, 2022, the vet, who the inquest heard informed his mother and a friend of his intention to leave Mr James, told 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 the inquest included Dr. She said Ellis “did something stupid, said he loved me.”

He also called Mr Hunt, who told the inquest: “He said he wasn’t going to 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, Hampshire deputy coroner Simon Burge said Dr Ellis’ death was “a huge waste of a talented life”.

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 line to self-administer toxic amounts of medication, 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 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 fabricate 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.

“He was later allowed to leave the veterinary surgery alone with the drug, with which he committed suicide by 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 for animals.

“He poured his heart into his work, and his absence leaves a profound void in the lives of all who had the privilege of working with him and knowing him personally.”

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, dedicated app, money-saving offers and more.