Vet clinic to file legal action against animal rights group chief

Ruan Bester (left)

A veterinary clinic is set to take legal action against president of Anima, Albano Martins, for defaming the Royal Veterinary Center clinic in NAPE, following Martins’ statements claiming that one vet acquired three greyhounds through middlemen for the purpose of using them for blood transfusions.

The statements were made by Martins in a reply to a comment on his public Facebook post. After two netizens asked which vet he was referring to, Martins replied, “a vet in [the] NAPE area in Macau.”

Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post also reported on the story on Wednesday, quoting Martins as saying: “According to my information, one vet in Macau got three greyhounds through middlemen for the purpose of using them for blood transfusions.”

Speaking to the Times, Ruan Bester of the Royal Veterinary Center said that Martins’ statement is false, stressing that the clinic did not adopt any greyhounds from the soon-to-close Canidrome.

Although Martins did not drop any names, he told the media last week that the vet clinic doing the alleged infraction is located in the NAPE area, to which Bester argued that he is the only vet in that district.

“It’s a hundred percent not true. We’re not hoarding any greyhounds, we didn’t adopt any greyhounds and we’re not bleeding any greyhounds. It’s totally false claims that they are making against us,” said the veterinary physician.

Bester told the Times yesterday that he is set to take legal action against Martins, claiming he was  heavily affected by the statement. He argued that some Chinese media outlets also reported that Martins was referring to a vet clinic located in NAPE. “I called him, he shouted at me, he swore at me and threw the phone down. It’s just bizarre, totally bizarre,” Bester lamented.

“I need to let this get out because they can’t doing keep doing this, because we’ve done nothing wrong and they are accusing us,” he added.

The vet added that the Royal Veterinary Center has even offered free services, including dental and neutering services, to greyhounds who have been adopted at the Canidrome.

“We’ve done a bunch of dental and [other] services already. People are trying to bring them here for the service that we provide [for free]. It’s excellent but we don’t adopt them or house them,” he stressed. LV

Martins not threatened by possible legal case

LOCAL RIGHTS activist Albano Martins said that he would not comment on Ruan Baster’s move to file a legal action against him, as he did not refer to Bester’s name in his statement. “What I wrote is that it was according to my sources. […] If he thinks I’m referring to him, then it’s his opinion, I don’t care too much,” he told the Times.