NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Prashant Pandya, the unlicensed East Nashville veterinarian at the center of a growing criminal case, has bonded out of jail after law enforcement arrested him.
Pet owners whose animals suffered after visiting Caudle Veterinary Clinic say they are relieved to see some accountability — but concerns remain about what comes next.
Police say they expect more charges in the future. Pandya's attorney has said they are cooperating with the investigation.
For people with animals, those animals become family members. Chris, who asked to be identified only by his first name for privacy reasons, still remembers taking a foster cat named Sandy to Caudle Veterinary Clinic in 2020. He says Pandya wrapped Sandy's leg, and what started as a simple limp ended in amputation.
"Her arm, which used to be nice and fluffy and orange, was just black, just gone. And it was horrifying," Chris said.
Chris says Pandya's father was still involved at Caudle at the time and remembers how even he was shocked at the state of Sandy's leg.
“I can’t tell you — six-plus years of anger, frustration and fear for all the animals. Every time, wondering, ‘Please don’t go to Caudle. Please don’t go there,’ and not being able to control that,” Chris said.
While Pandya now faces a felony charge for impersonating a veterinarian, his case also opens broader questions about oversight.
"What does the license mean if someone can practice for years without it and no one finds them?" Chris said.
Dr. Michael Hatcher, who has practiced veterinary medicine in Middle Tennessee for decades, said he has never seen a case like this. He says while a license is required to practice on animals, there is no requirement to hold one simply to be involved with a practice — meaning Pandya could arguably still work with animals.
"He should never be close to an animal, you know, but there's nothing keeping him from owning that practice and hiring other people to do the work," Hatcher said.
Those hurt by losing their animals at Pandya's unlicensed hand say they hope the court system will go further.
"I'm glad to see that there's going to be some accountability here," Chris said.
"All I can hope is that the city sees it and hears the stories of the pain and not just the breaking of the rule," Chris said.
Pandya's case will get its time in court. Pet owners say they had long hoped for this moment.
"We had just wished that the place would close down," Chris said. "At least we know that he won't be hurting any animals anymore."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
