A Kent-based vet has been removed from the RCVS register after he admitted to making a false declaration on a horse passport application document.

Vlad Butnaru claimed he had been “used” and “tricked” into completing the paperwork for the animal, which is believed to have been stolen previously.

But a college disciplinary committee report said he appeared to be “making up his defence as he went along” and concluded his actions were “fundamentally incompatible” with continuing registration.

Five-day hearing

The case, which was the subject of a five-day hearing held shortly before Christmas, related to a passport application document signed by Dr Butnaru and submitted in May 2021.

He admitted making a false declaration that he had read a microchip implanted into the horse in question when it had not actually been inserted into any horse.

Dr Butnaru also conceded his conduct was misleading and failing to take sufficient steps to ensure the accuracy of the microchip number, but denied being dishonest or that his actions risked undermining animal welfare.

In a witness statement submitted ahead of the hearing, he said he had not found a microchip when he examined the horse initially, but was subsequently told one had been located.

‘Serious mistake’

Dr Butnaru said he saw the chip scanned in a WhatsApp video call – something that he felt would be considered “acceptable practice” during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now realised he had made a “serious mistake” by not scanning the chip himself.

He wrote: “It was an honest mistake and I believe I was tricked. I am very upset that this happened.”

Later, in oral evidence, he said that “these people used me” and he felt “so embarrassed I don’t even want to work”.

But, in its report, the committee said it was “implausible” that Dr Butnaru had been tricked because of evidence from eight previous passport applications that he had submitted with chips that appeared to be from the same batch.

It added that he had been asked during his evidence whether he was “making up his defence as he went along and the committee considered that this was the impression he was giving”.

Admission

The panel also found the case was aggravated by Dr Butnaru’s admission that he had been paid to complete the application, the premeditated nature of his actions, the abuse of his professional position and what it described as his “negligible insight”.

The report concluded: “His actions were fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the register and thus the only appropriate and proportionate sanction in all the circumstances of this case was that of removal from the register.”

Dr Butnaru has 28 days to appeal against being struck off, from the date that he was informed of the decision.