AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas veterinarian facing animal cruelty charges must remain suspended amid allegations he kept some pets alive after telling owners the creatures were euthanized.
The Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners on Friday declined to lift the temporary license suspension of Dr. Millard Tierce of Fort Worth. The decision clears the way for a formal disciplinary hearing.
Tierce was arrested April 30 on animal cruelty charges and freed on bond after board agents searched his Camp Bowie Animal Clinic in Fort Worth. Agents found animal organs in jars and stacks of drugs, trash and laundry.
Tierce on Friday appealed to the board to restore his license, saying he's poorly organized and kept the animals alive for moral reasons.
A message left at the clinic Saturday wasn't immediately returned.