CITY OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) — A local veterinarian accused of changing the identity of a lost dog from the Tuscarora Nation because she allegedly believed Native Americans did not properly care for their pets pleaded not guilty Tuesday to six charges, including two felony counts of falsifying business records.
Kimberly Parkhill, a former veterinarian at McBride Animal Hospital, entered City of Tonawanda Court with her criminal attorney, Barry Covert, and an entourage of family and friends.
Parkhill is accused both criminally and in a civil lawsuit of falsifying business records by giving a new name, breed, and sex for a dog named Benji, who disappeared in July 2024 from the Tuscarora Nation. In addition, police said the clinic removed and replaced Benji’s microchip.
Benji’s owner, Monica Crogan, adopted the Yorkshire Terrier in 2023 to be a support dog.
News 4 Investigates first reported the story last week after obtaining clinic change logs and a recorded interview with a whistleblower, who told Tonawanda City Police and Niagara SPCA investigators that the clinic’s logs showed Benji’s name changed twice. In addition, the whistleblower said Benji’s breed was labeled Dachshund mix, and some change logs listed the dog as a female.
“The dog went from a female to a male, to Bianca to Buddy, is the dog’s name that we had in the computer,” the whistleblower told investigators in a November 2024 interview.
“It was put under as a spay,” the whistleblower said. “It should have been put in as a neuter, as he was a male.”
The investigation stalled for months until November 2024, when Parkhill’s former colleague blew the whistle to law enforcement about the chain of events surrounding Benji.
The whistleblower told investigators Parkhill also had removed Benji’s microchip, which identified Crogan as the owner. When the whistleblower asked about the microchip, she said Parkhill told her “No one will find this dog, as the microchip was removed and flushed down the toilet…”
The whistleblower also said there are texts between herself and Parkhill, in which Parkhill stated ‘they do not treat the dogs right on the rez [sic]. They just run around out there.”
Matt Albert, Crogan’s civil attorney, said there’s no evidence that Parkhill believed Benji was neglected or in bad health because she is required by law to report those concerns to police.
An Erie County SPCA official said tests showed Benji was healthy when police recovered him from a Tonawanda home the week of Thanksgiving in November 2024.
“There is a legal mechanism under §6714 (2)(a) of New York’s Education Law that mandates veterinarians report animals who present to them with signs of abuse or neglect to the proper authorities,” Albert said. “That did not happen here because my client takes wonderful care of Benji. He was stolen plain and simple.”
Police seized Benji from a home in Tonawanda and charged the two occupants with petit larceny.
The Niagara County District Attorney’s Office eventually dismissed the charges because prosecutors were unable to show precisely how Benji got from the Tuscarora Nation in Niagara County to the home in Tonawanda in Erie County.
Police returned Benji to Crogan in January.
Parkhill is charged with two felony counts of falsifying business records, three misdemeanor counts of making false entries in business records with the intent to defraud, and one misdemeanor count of companion animal stealing.
Those with knowledge of the case described it as ‘bizarre” and “stranger-than-fiction.”
“Unfortunately, I think that some poor choices were made, and unfortunately now this is the result, you know, having to face a criminal record now, over what?” Erie County SPCA Chief Lindsey Wood said after Parkhill’s arraignment.
Wood thanked City of Tonawanda Police Detective Brett Rogers for taking the lead and “bringing this case to fruition.”
Wood said a complaint against Parkhill was filed with the New York State Education Department’s Office of the Professions, which is the licensing agency. Parkhill’s veterinarian license expires in February 2027.
Crogan also filed a civil lawsuit against Parkhill, demanding $1 million in damages, accusing her of wrongfully taking property, emotional distress, discrimination, and defamation.
Parkhill’s attorney, Kenny Liptak, denied the allegations in a recent court filing in the civil lawsuit.
Parkhill is scheduled to appear back in court at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 28.
Dan Telvock is an award-winning investigative producer and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2018. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
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