Advise

[dwynwen]

Sitting at the vet's waiting room a while back I heard the receptionist phoning for quotes on a security guard for evenings/late night after they'd had just such an incident.

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.

[cointreau]

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 thought vet clinics had to be owned by vets or has that changed in the last 10 years?

Could you imagine if we did that to overseas visitors needing emergency treatment at a hospital and they had no insurance, we would be lynched. I don't care who owns a practice there is no excuse not to get an animal into a vet for urgent assessment at least before discussing money, why not let the owner know the clinic needs $300 deposit but we will get your dog into the vet first while they are assessing we will take you out and swipe your card. At least the animal is being seen and not waiting.

Certainly I would agree if someone is a bad debter at the clinic to get prepayment but in an emergency it is the animal suffering. The bigger clinics with their bright lights and slogans like we care etc need to show they care about the animals rather than the hip pocket.

Rip doggie, thiniking of you daughter and you.

[Gilypoo]

So sorry for your loss

I had to take my GSD to an after hours vet as she had a bad cut on her foot, when I called to tell them we were on our way thats when they informed me that there was a base fee that needed to be paid before we leave the practise, obviously I agreeded and made sure I took my credit card with me.. I now have a close relationship with my vet and I dont need to pay anything advance/ upfront. They invoice me at a later date. This goes for all appt (vaccinations etc)

I always thought that you needed to call in advance. Where I live we dont have "walk in after hours vets".. Its good to know that all the vets in my area are run and owned by vets....

[Bow Wowy]

My God, thats disgusting. At our clinic, in an emergency situation, the animal gets stabilised before money is even discussed (we are very reasonably priced anyway). The well being of the animal always comes first and foremost. Sure, sometimes we get stung and end up out of pocket, but most times people settle their accounts and are very appreciative of the immediate care their pet received.

[fifi]

My God, thats disgusting. At our clinic, in an emergency situation, the animal gets stabilised before money is even discussed (we are very reasonably priced anyway). The well being of the animal always comes first and foremost. Sure, sometimes we get stung and end up out of pocket, but most times people settle their accounts and are very appreciative of the immediate care their pet received.

What Bow wowy said, Same at our clinic.

Darien, I'm so sad and outraged that you & your daughter & her dog were treated this way.

Please take this further, the dog should have been prioritised over the card transaction.

And then to quibble over the refund :D ;) words fail me.

fifi

[Kody's_Mum]

Darien I am absolutely disgusted to read about how this clinic treated you, your daughter and her dog! And sorry for your loss.

I can understand that the clinic may have been burnt before, but surely they could have been assessing the dog whilst you were swiping your credit card? As if you all weren't stressed enough!

And then not to willing refund you the difference?!

I am so pleased that you have made a complaint, hopefully the clinic will be informed and perhaps they will rethink their procedures.

RIP little dog.

[Sayly]

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 thought vet clinics had to be owned by vets or has that changed in the last 10 years?

I believe it's changed.

I can't believe they didn't refund the money immediately however I do see the point in them swiping the card initially if they have been stung before.

[NotSureWhich]

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your dog, it's very painful to experience. That was rude of them to want you to spend the excess money in store.

As an aside I can understand why vets ask for money up front. One late night visit to my vet and I was in the back room and happened to see what their outstanding amount for people who'd not paid. I was astounded at the massive amount they were owed by people who had used their services. It's because of people like them, those of us who do pay can't get emergency treatment without coughing up the money first.

[WoofnHoof]

That's truly disgusting treatment, I've never been treated like that but I have had vets umm and ahh about treatments when my dog was on death's door, I said what's the problem why aren't we doing these things? The response 'oh well it's really expensive' Um hello that's for me to decide since I'm paying the bill!

[Smithy the Cairn]

Contact today tonight or A current affair,they love stories like that and they will really damage the vets name.

Sure vets might get burnt everynow and then, but no more than a plumber ( you dont pay upfront if you have an overflowing toilet that needs fixed!) or mechanics or any 'service' that you pay after the event.

But to also do it at such a vunerable emotional time is barbaric.

vets have credit collectors, just like any other business and they should use this to get what is due to them.

Holding you to ransom like that is horrible.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Darien how sad. RIP litte dog.

I am glad you have taken it further.

My friend and my daughter rusheda pup to Lort Smith some time ago, my had chewed the cord off and it was bleeding like the proverbial, they took the pup in treated straight away while the account was being sorted.

I have also been to an emergency place where they treat straight away while account being sorted, not my dog someone else who came in.

[aussielover]

That is horrible! Vets should provide emergency treatment immediately! Legally, they have to provide pain relief at the minimum.

How expensive is it to get the animal on oxygen and give pain relief? It would not be $300. I don't know why they demanded that much, surely they could ask for payment later if further procedures (radiographs, surgery etc) were neccesary?

And then to have the nerve to keep the rest of your money by letting you spend it at the same place another time- as if you'd go back there after that experience

I am sorry this has happened to you.

[Darien]

Thanks for all the good thoughts for my daughter, her and her children are devastated by jessie's death

I rang the Vet Association today to place a complaint about the whole thing, they too were shocked by the vets conducts. I will definately be going further with this and since then we have heard of other people having the same problem. Some of them were even clients!!!

As far as I know, the vets, who are brother and sister, run the practise and I know they spent a lot of money doing the practise up before opening. They also sell kittens and puppies I don't know if it would be right, at this point, to name the vet clinic on a public board though....as much as I would like to shame them. I'll go through the proper channels and hope they will be hauled over the colas about it all.

[all that glitters]

Thanks for all the good thoughts for my daughter, her and her children are devastated by jessie's death

I rang the Vet Association today to place a complaint about the whole thing, they too were shocked by the vets conducts. I will definately be going further with this and since then we have heard of other people having the same problem. Some of them were even clients!!!

As far as I know, the vets, who are brother and sister, run the practise and I know they spent a lot of money doing the practise up before opening. They also sell kittens and puppies :eek: I don't know if it would be right, at this point, to name the vet clinic on a public board though....as much as I would like to shame them. I'll go through the proper channels and hope they will be hauled over the colas about it all.

Sell sell them or re they available for adoption?

That clinic sounds SO bad fancy not wanting to give the money back and giving u clinic credit WTF??

[Darien]

Thanks for all the good thoughts for my daughter, her and her children are devastated by jessie's death

I rang the Vet Association today to place a complaint about the whole thing, they too were shocked by the vets conducts. I will definately be going further with this and since then we have heard of other people having the same problem. Some of them were even clients!!!

As far as I know, the vets, who are brother and sister, run the practise and I know they spent a lot of money doing the practise up before opening. They also sell kittens and puppies :eek: I don't know if it would be right, at this point, to name the vet clinic on a public board though....as much as I would like to shame them. I'll go through the proper channels and hope they will be hauled over the colas about it all.

Sell sell them or re they available for adoption?

That clinic sounds SO bad fancy not wanting to give the money back and giving u clinic credit WTF??

They sell them

[cointreau]

They advertise in the local paper to sell kittens and puppies not cheap either and use silly cross bred names. I have never used them because I refuse to support pet shops selling animals why should I be different with a vet. Yes I did get my cat through my vet but he came from cat care and was an unwanted kitten, not sold to make a profit.

to you and your family.

[Golden Rules]

Condolences to your daughter Darien

One of our 24 hour emergency vets makes you pay upfront. I had a friend who had his two dogs poisoned. They were vomitting and had diahorrea. The vet clinic made my friend's grandad go home and get his credit card before treating the dogs properly.

It is sad that some clinics feel they have to practice this way.

[tarope]

What a pack of bastards how could any vet do that,it's just unbelievable.

Sounds like a good story for the local newspaper or ACA, everyone should hear about this caring vet.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Darien

I'm sorry about your daughter's dog, that's so sad.

About the vet practice overcharging - glad you got the money back.

If you had been overcharged and they had refused to refund, and you paid with a credit card, you can write to the credit card company (not quite the same as the bank) and explain what happened to them, and ask for your money back through the credit card company.

I was charged one time for stuff I didn't buy - it was on the register before my sale was rung up and the shop assistant obviously hadn't reset the till. Deliberate or not I don't know. And I didn't have time to check because I was at an airport and my flight got called. So I wrote the credit card company and months later - they refunded the amount I was overcharged. Better than nothing. It also alerts the credit card company to potentially dodgy practice by that business which is bad for them.

My vet sells kittens and puppies. The kittens are usually accidents or finds of his customers. Ie it's like a rescue. The puppies are not - he's a registered breeder. And they're not kept in the waiting room.

So I'm not totally against the idea of trying to find homes for unwanted kittens. And I think the puppies would all have homes before the bitch even meets the dog.

[cointreau]

My vet sells kittens and puppies. The kittens are usually accidents or finds of his customers. Ie it's like a rescue. The puppies are not - he's a registered breeder. And they're not kept in the waiting room.

So I'm not totally against the idea of trying to find homes for unwanted kittens. And I think the puppies would all have homes before the bitch even meets the dog.

Being a registered breeder is different from selling cross bred puppies with silly names for very large sums of money from a vets clinic. I have seen the ads in the local paper numerous times and it looks very much like a front for a backyard breeder to me, use a vet to give credibility to the puppies being purchased for over $700. From memory the kittens are not cheap either so again I think it is just a money making racket. Doesn't sit well with me.