COQUILLE - The Coos County Board of Commissioners sent a letter Wednesday to the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board, expressing disappointment over its recent decision to shut down the Low Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic in Empire.

On Monday, the medical examining board suspended Dr. William Powell's veterinarian license for violating several Oregon veterinarian laws and gave him formal notice it intended to permanently revoke him from practicing veterinarian medicine.

The move sparked denials and a rally Monday on his behalf by locals who have come to rely on Powell for inexpensive veterinarian services. His clinic has provided more than 18,000 spays, neuters and some emergency operations for the past seven years, first at the Pony Village Mall in North Bend, and the past 21/2 at 132 N. Wasson St., in Coos Bay.

The popularity of the clinic and its subsequent demise prompted the county board to action Wednesday.

“We respectfully ask the (medical examining board) to consider the needs of low-income residents who own pets in our county,” the letter, signed by Coos County Board Chairman John Griffith and commissioners Nikki Whitty and Kevin Stufflebean stated. “We also ask board members to consider what a reduction in affordable spay and neuter services will mean to the county in terms of increased, unwanted puppies and cats.”

The commissioners noted the average per capita personal income in Coos County is about $27,000 annually.

“If that's the average, than there's an awful lot of people making less than $27,000,” Griffith said at a county administrative meeting early Wednesday.

He later added that many of the county's residents, who have low incomes, want to care for their pets - but cannot afford to pay more typical veterinarian bills.

“It's going to leave a lot of people stuck,” he said.

The county officials were not interested in “sticking its nose” in the state licensing board's business, Griffith said, nor, in sparking a “war” with local veterinarians. He said he realized there were many good veterinarians in the area and that as the enforcement arm for the state, the medical examining board is required to ensure all veterinarians adhere to state law.

But, he wanted to impress upon the medical examining board that “our folks are struggling financially” and that services like Powell's are needed.

“We are not a wealthy county,” the letter stated.

In a July 2 letter, the Veterinary Medical Examining Board accused Powell of committing numerous violations, including not providing an adequate in-house laboratory; inadequate housing of animals; allowing veterinary assistants to induce anesthesia; improper record keeping; performing surgeries without a cap and gown; the surgery room not being in a designated area or the surgery room not being clean or orderly; failure to obtain client permission before using unorthodox or nonstandard methods of treatment; failure to properly isolate patients with serious infections or contagious diseases; and failure to perform diagnostics.

Powell, who's engaged an attorney to fight the charges has denied the allegations and vowed to appeal the matter.

“We're not laying down on this one,” Powell said Wednesday.

He said he appreciates the county board's support and believes it might help his cause.

“(The Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board) should consider the impact it is going to have in the community,” he said.

The county's decision to send the letter was triggered, in part, to fears that shutting down the clinic could correlate to an increase in the number of euthanizations administered at the Coos County Animal Shelter. It's been only recently, with the help of numerous volunteer groups, that the shelter turned the corner on euthanasia. In February, the shelter went one month without euthanizing any dogs - a statistic that hadn't occurred in more than four years.

Commissioner Whitty suggested a medical examining board member come to Coos County, and work with Powell and volunteer groups to get him back in compliance. According to medical examining board documents, two board members and an investigator were at the clinic on June 25.

On Wednesday, Lori Makinen, the executive director of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board, said she hadn't received the letter from the Coos County Board of Commissioners, but said the medical examining board had accepted letters from Coos County citizens regarding the closure of the clinic.

In response to the letters supporting the Low Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic, she said the board relies on facts and “can't ignore its obligations to uphold the law.”

“I just think people don't understand that,” Makinen said.

She added that Powell will have the opportunity to argue his case in front of a judge if he requests a hearing within 20 days. She said the board can't take final action without a hearing.