BELLINGHAM, WA — Formal state charges against a woman accused of practicing veterinary medicine without a license for nearly two years are directly tied to a civil class-action lawsuit filed in Whatcom County Superior Court. The lawsuit, which predated the state’s enforcement action, alleges that the woman’s unauthorized medical treatments resulted in the death of a local resident’s pet cat.
In April 2026, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) charged Elyse Rybka with the unlicensed practice of veterinary medicine and issued a notice of intent to enforce a cease-and-desist order. State investigators allege that between June 2023 and April 2025, Rybka managed patients, prescribed medications, and performed surgeries without holding any valid veterinarian credentials in Washington.
The civil suit filed in May 2025 by Bellingham resident Lauren Boushey, names Advanced Veterinary Services, Inc. (doing business as Bellingham Veterinary), its governor Dr. Edmund W. Sullivan, DVM, and Rybka as co-defendants.
The complaint alleges that Bellingham Veterinary—located at 720 Virginia Street in Bellingham—and Dr. Sullivan hired and actively marketed Rybka to the public as a “Doctor,” despite knowing or having reason to know she lacked a veterinary license.
According to the lawsuit, Rybka performed a neuter surgery on one of Boushey’s cats, Arthur, on November 15, 2024. An invoice given to the owner allegedly listed the procedure as performed by “Elyse Rybka, DVM”.
The core of the legal filing centers on the treatment of another cat owned by Boushey, named Merlin.
According to court filings, on January 10, 2025, Merlin was brought to Bellingham Veterinary strictly for a routine dental examination. The complaint alleges that without the owner’s knowledge or consent, Rybka took over the case and directed staff to inject Merlin with three potent medications: Convenia, Solensia, and Zorbium.
The lawsuit alleges that these medications were never intended for Merlin, but were instead indicated for an entirely different patient. Rybka also allegedly performed an unauthorized cystocentesis (inserting a needle into the bladder to collect urine) and drew blood from the cat.
When Boushey arrived to pick up Merlin, she was hit with a $668.54 bill. The complaint states the clinic refused to release the cat until she paid an inflated fee of $790.78, which she paid under severe emotional distress.
The day after receiving the wrong patient’s treatments, Merlin reportedly developed fully dilated pupils, acute dehydration, and manic, anxious behavior.
On January 15, 2025, Dr. Sullivan reportedly apologized to Boushey, admitting that the lab work and initial examinations performed on January 10 were not Merlin’s, but belonged to a separate animal. To correct the errors, Merlin underwent emergency interventions, including a feeding tube placement and a blood transfusion.
However, Merlin’s health continued to rapidly deteriorate. Following multiple emergency return visits to the clinic, the cat passed away at home on January 21, 2025.
The civil action is tracking toward a full-scale class-action lawsuit. Boushey’s attorney, Adam P. Karp of Animal Law Offices, PLLC, is seeking to represent a class consisting of all pet owners who paid Bellingham Veterinary for any medical services performed or supervised by Rybka.
The lawsuit brings forward ten distinct counts, including:
- Professional Negligence against all defendants.
- Violations of the Washington Consumer Protection Act, alleging that marketing an unlicensed individual as a legal “Doctor” constitutes a deceptive business practice that harms the public interest.
- Conversion and Trespass to Chattels, relating to the unauthorized procedures and the clinic’s temporary refusal to surrender the pet until the disputed bill was settled.
The plaintiffs are demanding full refund of all clinic fees tied to Rybka, trebled damages under the Consumer Protection Act, and compensation for mental anguish.
In a formal response filed on May 28, 2026, Advanced Veterinary Services and Dr. Edmund Sullivan offered a defense.
Represented by the Seattle-based defense firm Floyd Pflueger Kearns, Nedderman & Gress P.S., the clinic and its governor entered categorical denials to almost all material claims of fraud, negligence, or consumer deception. While admitting that Boushey’s animals were patients who received treatment recorded in clinic charts, they denied that any medical services were ever administered without the owner’s explicit consent.
The clinic’s response asserts that any remaining claims explicitly directed toward Rybka’s personal actions or licensure require no answer from Bellingham Veterinary or Dr. Sullivan. Rybka has retained separate defense counsel out of Spokane to handle her individual component of the lawsuit.
The Whatcom County Superior Court case remains in active pre-trial discovery, with both sides retaining the right to introduce further evidence as the proceedings evolve.
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