Local veterinarian arrested on sex abuse charges

Published 6:55 pm Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Thomas Hughes Fuqua, 67, a local veterinarian, has been arrested and charged with first-degree sex abuse by compulsion.

The charges stem from an incident that allegedly occurred between Fuqua and a female employee on March 19, 2018.

According to Jefferson County Jail records, Fuqua was arrested by Gardendale Police on Dec. 28, 2018 and released later the same day on $15,000 bond.

Fuqua was most recently one of two staff veterinarians at All Creatures Pet Hospital in Gardendale. A representative with All Creatures told the NJN on Thursday that Fuqua left the hospital in November of 2018. In previous years, he has worked at Mercy Animal Hospital in Gardendale and Stewart Animal Clinic in Warrior, as well as other area vet clinics.

No information was released about the circumstances surrounded the alleged incident and the victim was not identified, due to the nature of the charges. Gardendale Police 

According to the Code of Alabama, “A person commits the crime of sexual abuse in the first degree if he subjects another person to sexual contact by forcible compulsion.” first-degree sexual abuse is a Class C felony.

*Editor’s Note: Updated on 1/3 at 12:26 p.m. to reflect that Fuqua was no longer employed by All Creatures Pet Hospital.