Tragic end to the life of a New York veterinarian from India.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: A New York-based veterinarian, Dr. Shirley Sara Koshi, was found dead in her home on February 16, the victim of an apparent suicide that may have been caused by online bullying and harassment she suffered at the hands of a local cat lover.
The story begins in August of 2013, when a cat named Karl was turned over to the Gentle Hands Veterinary Clinic in the Bronx, New York, which was operated by Koshi. The cat was apparently one of many that was being cared for by Gwen Jurmark, a woman who gives food to and nurtures the wild cats in Raoul Wallenberg Park.
Koshi nursed Karl back to health, feeding him and domesticating him until he was fully healthy. This took place over the course of several weeks, and when Karl was finally rehabilitated, Jurmark came forward as the purported owner of the cat, saying that because she was the one feeding him at the park, she was his owner. Jurmark took Koshi to Bronx Civil Court with the lawsuit.
The movement to give Karl over to Jurmark also got the attention of the Veterinary Abuse Network’s blog, which was started and managed by founder Julie Catalano. The blog is what has been credited by Koshi’s supporters as the main impetus for her death, as it heavily criticized the veterinarian, posting embarrassing professional and personal stories in an attempt to discredit her and ruin her reputation.
“Dr. Shirley Sara/Shirley Sara Koshi/Koshy told the court at a preliminary hearing in December that she SOLD KARL to his new owner,” began one such post, dated December 31 of last year. “This is a woman who has had veterinary licenses in five states and by her own admission has worked in about 30 different animal hospitals over her “career.” She just opened her hole-in-the-wall storefront on Johnson Avenue in July of 2013 and a mere one month later she had already taken Karl. Just the type of stable individual that we should all look to as a paradigm of veterinary virtue (NOT!) to make life and death decisions about animals.”
For her part, Koshi also took to social media to debunk Jurmark and her supporters, criticizing the people who care for feral cats in public places by saying “Gwen Jurmark adopts cats from the Animal Care and Control, under the umbrella of New Hope Partners then disposes them in Parks like Walenburg Park in Riverdale. These cats lived under trees until Julia Kalina built cages. However no cage in winter is warm enough for a cat or a warm[-]blooded mammal. In my mind this Rescue group headed by Jurmark is a blight [sic] on all Rescue groups that find loving homes for their adoptees. Karl, not his name anymore has a home and is safe, unlike the cats that live under the mercy of the elements outdoors, unvaccinated, not microchipped [sic], open to Rabies.”
The legal proceedings had not yet been completed when Koshi was found dead, at the age of 55.
A few days after Koshi’s passing, Catalano took to the Veterinary Abuse Network’s Facebook page, writing that she was happy Karl the cat could now be returned to Jurmark and that this “long and strange saga [had] ended well” for him.
Originally from Pune, India, Koshi was the daughter of Puthuparumbil Koshy and the late Thankamma Varkey Koshy. She earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Bombay Veterinary College in 1980, and worked for over 33 years in India, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
Now, an online petition has been formed to hold Catalano responsible for their alleged abuse and harassment of Koshi.
The petition, launched by Change.org, alleges that criminal charges should be brought against “those” responsible; although it never specifies who exactly, numerous links to the writings of Catalano are included on their website. In their petition, Change.org states “For several months, these ‘animal rescuers’ stalked, harassed, verbally abused, cyberbullied, and damaged the reputation of Dr. Shirley Koshi. They dragged her name through the mud on every website and article posted about her veterinary clinic. They drove her to take her life.”
The petition has over 2,500 supporters so far, and is hoping to attain 47,098. Police have not yet 100% ruled that Koshi died of a suicide, saying that it was an overdose of some kind that was most likely the result of a suicide. In the meantime, however, the case can shed light on the growing problem of cyber-bullying, and how it does not just affect those in middle and high school, but also professionals who may use the Internet to attack others they don’t necessarily agree with.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com
6 Comments
Much of humanity is losing its heart. The God Particle is fading to black. RIP.
Screenshot. False accusations of criminal activity by rescuer who “bullied her to her death.” False and defamatory.
Julie Catalano was always a lonely, unstable schizophrenic. However when her 20-year-old cat, Sukki – who had been suffering from untreated chronic kidney disease for years (Julie knew better than the veterinarian) died she literally busted a fuse. On that day Julie, an elderly “journalist” whose only successful relationship was with a geriatric cat, began her hate campaign to defame the veterinary profession and to personally destroy every veterinarian she could. Her Facebook page is full of vicious attacks against any veterinarian who receives a bad online review. These reviews are always one-sided as it is illegal for veterinarians to discuss their cases with anyone other than the pets’ owners or referring veterinarians. Of course, Julie knows this but never ever mentions as she repeatedly proclaims that the veterinarians’ silence is damning. Her vitriolic verbosity and obsessive posting churn her emotionally fragile followers into a frenzy, launching them into campaigns of bullying, false reviews, verbal assaults over the phone, and physical attacks against veterinary clinics. She mocks the suicide epidemic in the veterinarian profession every Monday with her posts prefaced “Mental Health Monday”. She knew Dr. Koshi was fragile and suffering. Julie Catalano knew Dr. Koshi wouldn’t be able to cope so she pushed harder. Julie Catalano is responsible for the death of Dr. Shirely Koshi.
Screenshot. False accusations of criminal activity against Catalano by Ruth Cherubin (“Bethany Greene”) linking to petition started by then-vet student and now vet Lauren Henderson claiming unfounded and baseless allegations of criminal activity.
Screenshot for false accusations that death of a human being was a direct result of “bullying.” Bowling is a licensed vet who has incited harassment against advocates using lies, false reports of harassment, and attacks on vet victims.
Screenshot for false statement of criminal activity by Namcy McNevin and referral to libelous blog by Ruth Cherubin of NYC.