Rio de Janeiro court orders arrest of fake veterinarian

A man posing as a veterinarian has been ordered into preventive detention by the Rio de Janeiro justice system. Daniel do Nascimento Soares Bittencourt was caught in the act while performing surgery on a cat at a clinic in Duque de Caxias.

Investigations revealed that Bittencourt, a sixth-semester veterinary medicine student, did not have the legal authorization to practice or perform surgeries. He allegedly used the professional registration number of another veterinarian to operate his own clinic. Witnesses reported that he presented himself as a specialist in various fields, including orthopedics and cardiology, and had performed multiple previous procedures.

The court determined that his release would pose a concrete risk of continued unauthorized procedures, exposing other animals to danger. During his custody hearing, Bittencourt claimed he was injured by a civil police officer, a claim the magistrate noted was contradicted by medical reports suggesting he simply “stepped incorrectly.”