Las Vegas veterinarian found dead after animal cruelty investigation

Las Vegas equine veterinarian Dr. Shawn Frehner was found dead in a lake on April 18, nearly two weeks after his sudden disappearance following a video posted online in which Dr. Frehner appeared to be kicking a sedated patient. The video received intense backlash on social media. He was 56.

Dr. Frehner’s body was discovered at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area after a multi-day search by the National Park Service, the Nevada Department of Wildlife, and community volunteers, according to a local news report. The body was identified as the missing veterinarian by the Clark County coroner through dental records.

Police had not yet released a cause of death as of late April.

Dr. Frehner went missing on April 6 after a video appeared online allegedly showing the veterinarian kicking a sedated horse he was treating three days earlier, according to published reports. The video, recorded by horse owner Shawna Gonzalez, who reported Dr. Frehner to the Nye County Sherrif’s office, quickly went viral, prompting angry comments and threats. The Nye County Sheriff’s Office opened an animal cruelty investigation.

In a now deleted Facebook post, Dr. Frehner acknowledged the incident and defended his actions as medically necessary, stating the horse was aggressive and not responding to anesthesia enough, and that he was attempting to get the horse to move into a different position to prevent it from injuring itself, according to published reports.

Dr. Frehner’s Facebook page and his business page were reportedly inundated with accusations of animal abuse.

When authorities located Dr. Frehner’s parked truck near Lake Mead, his cellphone, wallet, and keys were inside the truck cab. Foul play is not suspected.

Gonzalez reportedly expressed sadness upon hearing the news, according to an April 21 article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I had no idea this would happen. But I was not the one bullying. I am not sorry for standing up for my horse. I am their voice and will continue to be,” she was quoted as saying.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Dr. Frehner earned his veterinary degree in 1997 from The Ohio State University. According to his business website, he completed a year-long internship in Washington state, working under the mentorship of board-certified veterinary specialists in surgery, internal medicine, and equine reproduction.

Dr. Frehner returned to Las Vegas in 1998 and launched his own ambulatory veterinary practice focusing on horses, cattle, and camelids. His mobile practice served rural and urban clients alike, offering advanced medical care directly to barns and ranches throughout the region.