PORTLAND, OR — A Portland veterinarian has been sentenced to five years of supervised probation after admitting she diverted controlled substances for personal use and replaced them with saline, compromising the treatment of hundreds of animals.

According to a news release from the DEA Seattle Field Division, Dr. Brenda Brown-Carlson was sentenced Jan. 13, 2026, in Multnomah County Circuit Court as part of a plea agreement. Investigators say her actions affected the care of more than 200 animals at two veterinary clinics where she worked.

Court documents show Brown-Carlson diverted hydromorphone, buprenorphine, and butorphanol — all controlled substances — and substituted diluted doses during surgeries and medical procedures. Co-workers noticed discrepancies in drug records and reviewed dispensing machine data and surveillance video, which authorities say showed Brown-Carlson removing the drugs and refilling vials with saline.

The diversion was reported to the Drug Enforcement Administration in February 2024, prompting an investigation by a DEA diversion investigator. During an interview, Brown-Carlson initially denied the conduct but later admitted to it and surrendered her DEA registration, according to the release.

Brown-Carlson pleaded guilty to one felony count of tampering with drug records, two felony counts of computer crimes, and one felony count of attempted animal neglect in the second degree. Under the terms of her probation, she is prohibited from working in businesses whose primary purpose is the treatment of animals and from providing veterinary care. She may only have limited contact with animals and is restricted to caring for her own pets, without providing veterinary treatment.

Prosecutors said action by the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board regarding Brown-Carlson’s state license is pending, along with potential civil penalties related to violations of the Controlled Substances Act.