One pet owner told The Times that his 15-year-old Chihuahua, Mr. Tillman, still has not recovered from his ordeal. A year after Mr. Tillman’s 2015 operation, Eric Garcia submitted a complaint to the California Veterinary Medical Board. The Times reached out to the Department of Consumer Affairs, which oversees the California Veterinary Medical Board, but did not receive a response. In the first incident documented, in 2015, Eric Garcia brought his 4-year-old Chihuahua, Mr. Tillman, to see Hatayama. According to Garcia, he submitted a complaint to the California Veterinary Medical Board a year after the original operation.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 05, 2026 18:31 UTC