A dog owner being sued by an animal hospital in Surrey, B.C., over a series of critical TikTok videos has filed a defence in court, arguing her posts aren't defamatory because her story about the way her dog was treated is true.
Victoria Veira, 36, said her viral videos about Surrey Animal Hospital accurately explained how the clinic treated her dog this spring.
She said the clinic is the one attacking her reputation, not the other way around.
"At no time did Ms. Veira make any false, malicious, or defamatory statements about [Surrey Animal Hospital]," read the response to civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court.
"By filing [the lawsuit] ... Surrey Animal Hospital and its counsel, with an improper motive, intentionally and strategically planned to damage the reputation of Ms. Veira in the eyes of the public by making false claims against her and without giving Ms. Veira any opportunity to provide her version of facts to the public."
Veira posted a series of videos on TikTok this spring claiming Surrey Animal Hospital mistreated Charlie, her Akita mix, after she took him to be neutered in March. She said he developed an infection that was only cured when she took him to a different vet in the city.
Her videos showed the clinic's one-star reviews on Google, its history of professional discipline and a three-part series explaining the treatment she said her dog received. The most viewed video showed part of an argument between Veira and a staff member.
Together the clips,...
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