I called Amy J. Jergens, dvm, and told her that her vet tech, Janelle LeTourneau, had done the following: lamed my horse on 3-20; gave prescriptive advice by text saying she was at wk. W / Jergens; discussed privileged details about Jergens' clients to outsiders; refused to respond to innumerable calls, texts, e-mails requesting she make reasonable refund of $86.43; placed falsified professional endorsements on her website, Barrel Horse Brokers.
I told Jergens I contacted the 2 gentlemen LeTourneau listed as endorsers and they both said: she is not a farrier; she has not been to farrier school; she has no professional experience; they only gave her tips to keep her from hurting her own horses which she was trimming because she was in financial distress; they would not, and do not, recommend her to anyone; they were telling her to cease and desist identifying them as endorsers/trainers. Jergens seemed to downplay the seriousness of this.
I explained that my horse was immediately lame after LeTourneau trimmed her, laid down for the better part of 3 days, limped piteously for many days therafter, and is still lame. Of course, I have numerous witnesses as to the great health of my horse before this lousy job, and her suffering thereafter. I have witnesses that I have tirelessly tried to communicate with Jergens and LeTourneau in a firm, businesslike fashion through the proper channels.
I think it's illegal for a vet tech to give prescriptive advice. Isn't faking credentials a form of consumer fraud? Isn't it unethical to discuss privileged information? Shouldn't a trained vet tech should know better? Isn't a vet educated to know better. Doesn't condoning this type of behavior violate one's oath at a vet?
Jergens excused/defended LeTourneau saying, "she is young and she didn't know what to do."
Jergens called me, twice, seemed upset & argumentative, and contradicted herself, and hung up on me - both times. Jergens said LeTourneau had 10 yrs. Experience, then admitted she's 21 (I noted this would have made her 11 yrs old when her 'career" began (?). Jergens admitted she did not let her trim her own horses. Jergens said, " they shared clients." Isn't that a gross conflict of interest? I think these 2 have some serious boundary issues.
During her 2 hang-up calls to me, Jergens refused to make reasonable settlement, but promised that LeTourneau would do so by 4-8. That did not occur. No sorry, no refund, no inquiry to my horse's condition, nothing. I have never met 2 such unethical, unprofessional young women.
All I can think of to do is to warn others so that they have access to more, and more truthful, information than I did - so they can protect their beloved horses. Those are the facts in a nutshell - You be the judge.
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