Search continues for Las Vegas veterinarian who apologized for kicking horse
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nearly a week after a video showing a man kicking a horse sparked outrage online, the search for a Las Vegas veterinarian remains ongoing, according to officials at Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Dr. Shawn Frehner, 56, was last seen around 9 a.m. on Sunday, April 6, entering the Lake Mead Recreation Area through the Boulder entrance. His truck was later found parked at Hemmenway Harbor with his keys, wallet, and cellphone inside, officials said.
As of Friday, the search was still active, and investigators said, "You don't have to tell us who you are, but please tell us what you know."
Frehner is described as 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing around 190 pounds.
According to a missing person report, Frehner’s father told investigators he doesn’t believe his son would harm himself.
Earlier this month, Frehner apologized and admitted to kicking a horse he had been paid to administer anesthetic shots to at a Nevada property.
Shawna Gonzalez, the property owner, previously told Nexstar's KLAS that she witnessed Frehner kicking one of her horses in the head. Gonzalez said the injured horse was taken to the Desert Pines Equine Center, suffering abrasions to the skull and unnecessary injuries from gelding.
“[Frehner] left my property before my horse was even up,” she said. “My horse was still down for a good 45 minutes after he left and before he left, there’s several people that were there, and even they can state that he was kind of in a rush off my property.”
The alleged incident was caught on video, which quickly went viral online.
Frehner responded online, posting that he "did not blatantly haul off and kick this horse as it appears in the video."
"That was not my intention at all,” Frehner wrote. “It was done simply to get the horse in a better position so that he could breathe and get up and move so I could again try to anesthetize.”
Frehner did end the post with an apology and admitted to kicking the horse, adding that he wished "this never happened."
On April 7, the Nye County Sheriff's Office confirmed a criminal investigation into the incident had been launched.
The same day, multiple agencies began searching for a missing person in the Lake Mead Recreational Area. Sources confirmed to KLAS that they were searching for Frehner. As of Sunday morning, authorities have not provided any additional details about the search for Frehner.
Records KLAS obtained showed the Nevada State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners placed Frehner’s license on probation in 2016. He agreed to a year-long license suspension.
The Nye County Sheriff’s office is investigating him for animal cruelty following a complaint from the horse’s owner. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the NPS tip line at 888-653-0009 or call 911.