Advise

[Darien]

The other day my daughter's dog of 13.5 years collapsed. Shallow breathing and her mouth and lips were purple. We raced her to the nearest vet, which isn't our own, and they wouldn't take her dog through until they had swiped my card and I had agreed to pay $300 for stabilisation!! This took a vital 5 minutes of time (or there abouts). During this I am begging them to take her through and that yes, I would pay. Sadly, there was very little the vet could do, they placed her on oxygen and tried to get fluids into her, but her veins had collapsed. My daughter agreed to put her to sleep

I go back to the vet yesterday to finalise the bill and it came to $245, so they owed me $55, which they claim I can use in store No way, said I, you were quick enough to take my money, now I would like it back. They uhmmed and ahhed and said it would go to a board meeting and to call them back on Friday. I think I was stunned and thinking, what the hell is going on!!

I go to my daughters house and we ring Fair Trading, no they are not allowed to do that. To cut a long story short, they have agreed to give the money back in cash, but my daughter has to pick it up as the dog was in her name.

I am horrified by this treatment, no money no care. Would the Vet Association be able to do something about this? The care they gave Jessie, when they finally saw her, I have no fault with, just the extra stress they caused. I've never heard of a vet doing this before.

[Lady Flying Furball]

Sorry to hear about your daughter's dog and it doesn't sound like the veterinary situation was comforting at all.

Good you rang Fair Trading and I would ring the Veterinary Association and tell them what you are telling us. Make a complaint and send it to the practice and the association. While someone is attending to paying they could have been taking her in knowing it was being fixed up.

[Crazy Daisy]

I'm glad you got your money back. I would be very upset if my dog was so ill and they were messing around with payment. I agree they should have taken the dog in with your daughter while you were fixing the fee out the front.

$300 seems like a big amount, especially as the final bill was less. I don't know who you speak to. But am sorry you and your daughter have to go through this in such a hard time.

[Scarlet]

I can understand vets wanting payment up front, although I don't agree with it. Not in an emergency.

Trying to retain your money or business is terrible though and I'm glad you reported it.

I would also contact the Vet Assoc although they probably haven't done anything illegal, just immoral.

Why would you want to go to a surgery that ignored your stress.

[Clyde]

. We raced her to the nearest vet, which isn't our own, and they wouldn't take her dog through until they had swiped my card

That sounds so callous! I wonder though if they have loads of non payers perhaps this is what they have had to resort to. It is a business after all.

Glad you got your money back, they certainly tried to pull a furfy on you, very sneaky!

[~Anne~]

The other day my daughter's dog of 13.5 years collapsed. Shallow breathing and her mouth and lips were purple. We raced her to the nearest vet, which isn't our own, and they wouldn't take her dog through until they had swiped my card and I had agreed to pay $300 for stabilisation!! This took a vital 5 minutes of time (or there abouts). During this I am begging them to take her through and that yes, I would pay. Sadly, there was very little the vet could do, they placed her on oxygen and tried to get fluids into her, but her veins had collapsed. My daughter agreed to put her to sleep

I go back to the vet yesterday to finalise the bill and it came to $245, so they owed me $55, which they claim I can use in store No way, said I, you were quick enough to take my money, now I would like it back. They uhmmed and ahhed and said it would go to a board meeting and to call them back on Friday. I think I was stunned and thinking, what the hell is going on!!

I go to my daughters house and we ring Fair Trading, no they are not allowed to do that. To cut a long story short, they have agreed to give the money back in cash, but my daughter has to pick it up as the dog was in her name.

I am horrified by this treatment, no money no care. Would the Vet Association be able to do something about this? The care they gave Jessie, when they finally saw her, I have no fault with, just the extra stress they caused. I've never heard of a vet doing this before.

OMG - what pathetic service. The fact that they held you to ransom was bad enough in the beginning with a dying dog and demanding to swipe your credit card first!!! WTF!!

Who was the vet? I would be writing a very, VERY, strong letter to the everyone I could think of, including the local papers to highlight this pathetic callous and uncaring attitude.

Edited May 10, 2010 by ~Anne~

[Jed]

How horrid, and so sorry about the dog.

You can complain to the veterinary registration board in your state, and also complain to the Australian Veterinary Association

[W Sibs]

That's terrible and so uncaring!!!

[schnauzer]

I am so sorry about your daughter's dog.

Absolutely disgusting behaviour by the vet practice. I would be speaking to the owners of the practice.

Just out of interest, are they owned by a company or the vets?

[JulesP]

Gosh Darien what a horrible experience for you all. RIP dog.

[Christina]

What a horrid & upsetting experience. Speechless.

[GeckoTree]

Thats stupid, they could do that to the wrong person one day, a real nut job you know not all complete in the head, and there very well may not be a vet clinic anymore.

Thats a real disturbing practice, I hope it's not a popular one.

RIP to your daughters dog.

[Nekhbet]

whoah they cannot keep your money! WTF!! How terrible they do that in time of panic and emergency!

[PebsnMe]

just can't believe they treated you this way.. you done the right thing, paid up front

so why would they not repay what they owe you?? little bit of customer service goes a long

way!!

[Abigail]

Every second is precious when it comes to such a situation as your daughter's dog. I cannot believe how that practice can be so cold and detached. They may have tried their best after you paid for the treatment but the fact remains that they wasted 5 valuable minutes! I would not allow them to get away with this. I have never heard of a vet. practice that charges before a consultation. That is just plain scandalous. Please, do not let them get away with it. So sorry for you and your daughter. All the best.

[stormie]

What an absolute joke. Did you sign anything when you swiped your card?

My boss and I just can't fathom this happening - it's just so unbelievable. The upfront payment I can understand, vets often get 'burnt' by people who rush animals in and request everything to be done, only to refuse to pay the bill if their animal dies, but to not give you back the money they clearly owe you is just ridiculous... I'd be taking this further for sure!

Would you mind pm'ing me which clinic this is?

[oakway]

We hear of such things on this list from time to time.

The emergency centres are the worst.

I would write a complaint to the relevant veterinary board.

I am so pleased that you rang Fair Trading.

Should be more of it and put a few of these vets that trade on peoples emotions at a tragic time in their place.

Some vets are left with huge unpaid bills and dishonest people can cause us great angst when we are willing to pay.

So sorry for the loss of your loved one.

[stormie]

Trouble is, we're seeing more and more clinics and large hospitals being bought out by these big companies who aren't even run by vets. Two of Sydneys larger 24hr/specialist centres are now owned by one of the big companies. They're being run more as businesses now rather than vet hospitals. There's financial targets to be met. The vets are under pressure to make money.

If I had my way, we'd all be boycotting these big corporate chains!!!

[mokhahouse]

I am really angry at what has happened to you and your daughter. I can not believe they tried to make you take the difference as a store credit. You would think you were returning something to a department store not settling an account for a deceased pet. Absolutely disgusting.I would certainly be letting your animal owning friends about this so they can avoid attending this vet in the future.Recently I had to rush Mokha to the Evet in Hallam, Vic in the middle of the night. While the vet rushed him out the back to start treatment the nurse informed me of the cost of an initial consult and then proceeded to come back an update me on any further costs as they decided what to do. I was not charged until we were going home. Such different service.

[Loving my Oldies]

My sympathies for the little dog and your daughter's loss Darien.

whoah they cannot keep your money! WTF!! How terrible they do that in time of panic and emergency!

Extraordinary behaviour.

What an absolute joke. Did you sign anything when you swiped your card?

My boss and I just can't fathom this happening - it's just so unbelievable. The upfront payment I can understand, vets often get 'burnt' by people who rush animals in and request everything to be done, only to refuse to pay the bill if their animal dies, but to not give you back the money they clearly owe you is just ridiculous... I'd be taking this further for sure!

Would you mind pm'ing me which clinic this is?

This happens more often than we realise.

Trouble is, we're seeing more and more clinics and large hospitals being bought out by these big companies who aren't even run by vets. Two of Sydneys larger 24hr/specialist centres are now owned by one of the big companies. They're being run more as businesses now rather than vet hospitals. There's financial targets to be met. The vets are under pressure to make money.

If I had my way, we'd all be boycotting these big corporate chains!!!

I agree totally, stormie. But where do you go in the middle of the night . They have us (and our wallets) cornered and captured.

Off topic, I know, but many years ago the Venture Capital Investment company I worked for was looking at investing (read taking over) a chain of medical imaging centres. I think they spent more time working out projected profits (obviously part of investigation into an investment, I know .... but) and what percentage of profits each layer of medical practioner would get, rather than anything to do with the actual provision of services, etc etc.

Back on topic: I agree that it should be taken further. I was under the impression that when a card is swiped, no amount is put in until the service has been provided, as in hotel accommodation, etc. To say that they would have to take the issue of a refund in cash to a board meeting (seems to show the practice is owned by a company) is totally ludicrous.