A Lorain County grand jury has indicted Dr. Kris L. Taylor, the owner of Landings Animal Hospital in Avon Lake, Ohio, along with Camile Nieto, on seven counts related to a prescription drug scheme. Prosecutors allege the pair wrote and filled prescriptions for oxycodone and Alprazolam, the anti-anxiety drug often sold as Xanax, using the name of a dog called “Punkin.” Investigators say Punkin was already dead during the time the prescriptions were written.
The alleged scheme ran from August 2024 to June 2025, with more than 20 prescriptions filled at pharmacies across Northeast Ohio. The charges include engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony, along with multiple drug and document offenses. Both Taylor and Nieto appeared in Lorain County court on Thursday and were each given a $500,000 bond. Landings Animal Hospital told a local news outlet that it remains open.
Beyond the unusual detail at the center of the case, the indictment raises real questions about how controlled substances move through veterinary clinics and pharmacy counters. For communities already dealing with the opioid crisis, prescription diversion is a serious concern, and the fact that more than 20 prescriptions allegedly went through without flagging is the part regulators will likely examine closely. Charges are accusations, and both defendants are presumed innocent until the case is resolved.
What do you think should change to prevent prescription diversion? Let us know in the comments.
