So far, the Texas State Board of Veterinary Examiners (TBVME) has received 4,100 emails from all 50 states and 32 countries regarding Kristen Lindsey’s bow-and-arrow killing of a cat recently. (NEWStat alone received 60 comments regarding its post.) And the emails are still coming in.

“So far, I’ve spent a week and a half responding to emails,” Loris Jones, Public Information Officer for TBVME, told NEWStat. (The TSBVE personally responds to all emails.) And she’s not done.

Does this mean Lindsey will lose her veterinary license? That remains to be seen.

“Anyone can file a complaint to start the review process,” Jones said. “And it helps more if the complainer has first-hand knowledge of the incident. Those complaints then become part of our investigation.”

An email of outrage does not a formal complaint make, however. A formal complaint form must be attached to the email. (The TSBVE has asked that comments be sent to its main email address: [email protected].) And while it’s not clear if and how many formal complaints Jones has received, there are some indications that she has.

“While I can neither confirm nor deny whether any complaints have been received,” Jones said, “Based on our agency Facebook page as well as numerous others, you can see comments from individuals saying they have emailed us as well as sent in complaints.”

Once complaints have been received, the TSBVME will assign an investigator and keep the complainant informed every 90 days. The review process could take months, Jones noted.

If the veterinarian is found to have violated the Texas Veterinary Licensing Act and/or Rules of Professional Conduct, the case is presented to the Board for disciplinary action, which can range from a reprimand to revocation of license.