The Knight family did everything right. Their beloved dog Rappe became critically ill and they were prepared to pay whatever it took to save him. Yet he was left to suffer for hours – while Alingsås Animal Hospital demanded payment before euthanasia. Now the anger is growing, and an anonymous email suggests something even worse: that the surgery may never have been done in the first place.
A snakebite – and a death sentence
It all started on April 9. Anna-Karin was out for a lunchtime walk with her two Labradors, Rappe and Charlie, just like every day. When both dogs suddenly flinched at the same clump of grass, she knew immediately: snakebite.
They went to Alingsås Animal Hospital. There they were able to confirm that Rappe had been bitten by a viper. But it soon became clear that something much worse was going on – the vets discovered that he had suffered from gastric torsion, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate surgery.
The price tag: 80,000 SEK.
The insurance didn’t cover it. But her daughter Louise had inherited something and offered to pay.
The surgery went well – but Rappe got worse
The same day the family was told that everything had gone well. Rappe had been outside to pee. But a few hours later the animal hospital called again. He had gotten worse. They recommended that he be urgently transferred to Blå Stjärnan in Gothenburg – which has a more advanced intensive care clinic.
– When we get there, he is in a cage. He has oxygen. But we are not allowed to touch him. The first thing they say is: “You have to pay first”, not “this is how he feels”, not “we will help him” – without payment. It was all about money, says Anna-Karin.
“He lay there for hours – and no one did anything”
Rappe would not be given oxygen during the transport – the vets had said he didn’t need it. But now he was lying there panting, and no one did anything. Not until the family had paid 50,000 kronor in part – via a swish from a friend of one of the daughters – and shown that they had the rest until Monday.
Since it was late at night, the family had no way of settling the payment on their own – all the banks were of course closed. Despite this, Alingsås Animal Hospital urged them to take out a loan.
Three hours. That was how long he had to lie there, without help. While waiting for Alingsås Animal Hospital to get its money.
– It felt like blackmail. Our dog lay there suffering while they counted kronor. There was no fellow human being in there. Just a system that had lost all morals.
In the end, they were allowed to sit with him when he was to be put to sleep.
– We asked to say goodbye. When I asked why it was taking so long, one of the vets said, “You haven’t paid yet.” That was the sentence that tore us apart.
An anonymous email: “Wrong diagnosis – for the money”
Three days later, an anonymous email, in English, arrived in Anna-Karin’s inbox. The sender wanted to remain anonymous – but the message was clear:
I have inside information that your dog was wrongly diagnosed and intentionally wrongly operated just to take the money for the clinic. You should push this further with lawyers and the Swedish Agricultural Agency.
The email suggests something even worse than catastrophic care – it suggests that Rappe might never have had the surgery at all. That a misdiagnosis might have been made on purpose, to maximize revenue.
“It breaks my heart. That he might not even have been that sick – that they chose to open him up just to get paid. I don’t know what’s worse: the thought that he died needlessly, or the knowledge that no one will take responsibility,” says Anna-Karin.
A system error – that no one dares to address
Rappe was no ordinary dog. He had saved Anna-Karin from a deep depression. When she was in the car once, about to end her life, he was the one who sat next to her – and who made her brake.
He came with her to work. Helped when the foal was born. Played with the other dog Charlie. He was always close. Quiet, safe and self-evident.
But when he needed help, no one was there for him.
After our conversation, Anna-Karin calls Alingsås Animal Hospital and requests the medical records. Just a few minutes later, an email arrives – with both medical records and ultrasound images attached. Now an external veterinarian, who the family has had contact with in the horse breeding industry, will go through everything.
– We want to know what really happened. If the diagnosis was wrong, if the operation was even necessary. We need answers, says Anna-Karin.
The family has also decided to report Alingsås Animal Hospital to the State Accountability Board, which handles disciplinary cases against licensed healthcare personnel.
What does the law say about refusing euthanasia before payment?
A veterinarian must not allow an animal to suffer unnecessarily – even if payment has not been made. This is against the Animal Welfare Act. Demanding payment before a necessary euthanasia can therefore be a violation of the law, depending on the circumstances.
