Bethel Veterinary Hospital

Extremely excited to say the best experience I've ever had and more so my dog. Very friendly environment and not rushed at all. My dog is very anxious around new people they took the time and care it needed to get to know him to calm him down. Thank you guys very much you're the best. Read Less

Incredible place, the staff is warm and welcoming. They greeted every furry family member like it was there own. They were especially gentle with one of my dogs that's afraid of everything, giving him time to relax. Read Less

This is now my favorite place to bring out little pug! They are all so knowledgeable, so sweet and you can tell they truly care about the animals and not all in it for the money! So happy we switched from plumtrees! Read Less

Kind, caring, professional, knowledgeable, and personal team. Almost everyone knows my dog by name and everyone seems really happy to work there. Such a caring atmosphere; I love the way the vet techs love and connect with my pup and I trust my vets 100%.Read Less

So pleased with Dr. McNamara. He's been caring for my dogs for years and I trust his judgement! I've followed him from different practices over the years and found him to be an ethical, reasonable, compassionate  doctor. Read Less

Outstanding care. We've been boarding our dog for 5-years since he was 6mos old and at first resisted staying and was very skittish. The staff worked with him and now he LOVES staying at Bethel Vet. Top notch operation. Read Less

I wish I had seen these posts before coming here.  I am new to ct and needed a veterinarian for my 4 animals.   The vet did not engage with my dogs at all. There was no petting, talking to them, etc.  She made my little dog bleed when clipping her nails and bleed badly when giving her shots and didn't even acknowledge it.  She handed her back to me and I noticed blood all over my pants.  My bill was almost 900 dollars for 2 physicals and some shots.  Insane.  I asked why I was charged  $30 for an ear cleaning and $15 for a nail clipping and they said if it's a deep cleaning it costs more money.  I have never had a vet charge for those things when I was paying a 56 dollar fee for an exam.  They will nickel and dime you to death.  Not worth it. Read Less

We have used Bethel Veterinary since 1973.  I cannot say enough about the care and concern from Drs Josephs, Fitch and McNamara and I find it difficult to believe the negative reviews based on my family's experience.  They've cared for our animals and each one was given excellent treatment.  They helped us manage our diabetic Lhasa for 14 years when many vets would have had us give up.  I disagree with the idea they push tests--they give you options and work with you to do the best for your pet.  Also, consider that many of the pets are already very ill when brought in and may seem fine but have underlying disease. Give them a try before letting the dissatisfied reviewers make the decision for you.  I'm a nurse and I like how they treat my pets! Read Less

Bethel Veterinary Hospital is great. I have now seen two different vets over the course of the last two years. The experience is always quick and positive. Last year when my dog split his forehead open on a park bench, they were able to see him quickly to get him all fixed up. Highly recommended!Read Less

I disagree with every single bad review.  I have been going to BVM for four years now with cats and a puppy and both doctors as well as support staff have been incredibly kind, caring, professional and seem to enjoy what they do. Quality care costs money and most of us don't have pet insurance.  Somehow people want to have pets but complain about how much it costs to care for them when they are sick. I would rather pay for testing than ignore a problem and I  find it hard to believe that this clinic would put a beloved animal through treatment that isn't necessary.  I  am also a surgical technician who has worked in the operating room alongside of doctors and it is a very complex working environment.  Hospital billing and  insurance companies are difficult in their own way.  The general public does not realize what it takes to be in this line of work. I  also LOVE that the doctors pick up the phone to talk to you themselves about your pet and the staff ALWAYS call you back the next day after your pet receives treatment just to see how they are doing. What more could you possibly ask for. Thank you BVM for all that you do for your patients and community. Read Less

I wouldn't trust anyone else with my fur babies. They are truly the best! For almost 10 years we have been patients we have never had a bad experience. Dr. Mac has always been wonderful and when he has been off Dr. Fitch is amazing too! They all love what they do, they love animals and it shows. Read Less

I wouldn't trust anyone else with my fur babies. They are truly the best! For almost 10 years we have been patients we have never had a bad experience. Dr. Mac has always been wonderful and when he has been off Dr. Fitch is amazing too! They all love what they do, they love animals and it shows. Read Less

They were wonderful when my 9 year old Newfie was at the end of her life. They came to our house and helped her transition in her own home. Dr. Mac and his staff member couldn't have been more wonderful. It was a terrible time that was made somehow easier by Bethel Vet Dr. McNamara. Thank you! Read Less

Dr. Fitch is an awesome, knowledgable and caring vet. She always listens and considers what is best for our dog as a whole rather than just focus on the problem. The vet techs and office staff are equally great. I was very moved by the kindness and willingness to go the extra mile for Princess when 2 of the vet techs offered to help me get her out of my car and settled into her crate at home after her TPLO surgery even though it was after hours. I highly recommend Bethel Veterinary Hospital to anyone who is looking for compassionate care for their animals. Read Less

This office has the most caring Dr.'s and staff. A friend referred me here 8 years ago and I have never had a bad experience. The Dr.'s are always available to answer questions and concerns. I wouldn't trust my fur babies with anyone else. Read Less

I have been using Bethel Vet for 10+ years and have had nothing but exceptional experience. The doctors have always gone above and beyond to ensure my cats get the best medical attention and advise. There prices are very competitive with other local vets and would highly recommend both doctors on staff. When I had to make the very difficult decision of putting my cat down both doctors went above and beyond to ensure I was making the right decision. Dr. Fitch was nice enough to drive a half hour to my house to make an extremely difficult situation a little less stressful. My cats are very much apart of my family and truly feel they are in the best hands at Bethel Vet. Read Less

Since the other review sites clearly cater to the complainers, I am writing on here to set the record straight. Dr. Mac and his staff are the most professional animal care people I have ever known. I have been using them for many years with all of my dogs, even when I had lived a few states away. It was always worth the trip to make sure my buddies got the best care possible. The entire staff truly cares about their job and the pets that they care for. For example, I had to put one of my dogs down because she was suffering from cancer. This was the toughest day for me, and the entire staff was there for support. Literally, there was not a dry eye in the house. I can't thank them enough for their time and devotion to everyone's pets, it is a rare thing these days, and it is truly appreciated. Disclaimer: I have not received any compensation, nor incentive to write this review. The words and thoughts are all my own. Read Less

A big thank you to Bethel Veterinary Hospital in Bethel, CT and Dr. James McNamara and has staff for helping to save the life of my cat Amiago. Bethel Veterinary Hospital also have tended to the need of my dog Teddy is a rescue from ROAR Ridgefield Operation Animal Rescue (ROAR) out of Ridgefield Connecticut Because of my learning disabilities these pets are as a member of my family and is like a therapy animals companionship and important to my life. As I do not have kids of my own. So these pets are my kids. Life would not be the same without Amiago the cat who enjoys doing Facebook etc while sitting on my lap etc . Thanks Again. Read Less

When you have a sick animal and the veterinary hospital not only takes great care of your pet but also you ... you know they're the best around! I would trust my animals to no one else! The doctors, techs and staff are so compassionate and understand that your pet is part of your family. They don't rush you when you have questions/concerns and when you have to make tough decisions, they help you through it. Bethel Vet is the BEST!Read Less

We are new to Connecticut and we're Disappointed about this place! Not recommended! We boarded our dog here twice, the first time when we went to pick the dog up, the bill was more then twice as much. I questioned the manager and she said the dog needed to be treated so they had to treat him (charges were never approved by me or my wife). The second time was The same thing, they tried to charge me more and more and I refused to pay the charges this time because I never authorized it. We boarded  our dog in places in NJ and PA when we live there without any problems. I asked to see where they keep the dogs and they refused.  At this point there is no way I would bring my dog back there.Robert RotondaroBrookfield,ct Read Less

I can't begin to tell you what an exceptional group of healthcare providers work here and care for your Pets. Drs. McNamara and Fitch along with the entire staff are devoted and highly skilled. Our nearly 14 year old diabetic dog survived as long as he did because of their excellent care. We've used this group since the 70s. Love them. Read Less

I have been using BVH for ten years and was always satisfied with the service and prices. But I have noticed a change since Dr. Josephs retired. The prices have gone through the roof and they charge for a "tech" to weigh your pet. Also this week I had them charge a "dispencing fee" to count out 10 pills and put them in a bottle. $15.00 to count ten pills. That was twice what the actual pills cost. We have two dogs and pay them alot of money every year for an assortment of services, shots etc. and yet they found it necessary to grab another $15.00 from me. Read Less

I unfortunately have to agree with the other reviewers here. I am not a big yelp contributor, but feel strongly enough about this that I want to warn off other pet owners. Luckily, we have never had any issues with the health of our pets at BVH and we have been using them for a while. However, we have had repeated problems with high fees, upcharging and overcharging for pet care, as have the other reviewers. They are clearly making an effort to squeeze as much profit as possible out of their few remaining loyal customers. Well, guess what, they finally went too far with us, when a very brief boarding for 2 pets was upcharged to a $700 fee. Oh, and then they called afterwards to let us know there would be an additional fee. We try to use a pet sitter whenever possible, and the state of our pets when we picked them up from boarding was not good: skittish and totally freaked out. And I will echo what has been said about the facility: it's pretty dumpy. So while I can't speak to what type of care the pets got (I'm sure it was adequate), it was certainly not a $700 deluxe pet nirvana. Enjoy the extra $$ guys. This sucker will be signing on some backup pet sitters for the future and finding another vet. Read Less

I have to say reading these other reviews I felt compelled to write in a note just to say that not all experiences with this vet are bad.  I love Bethel Vet Hospital. They have been nothing but compassionate and caring with my two dogs. I think Dr. McNamara and the vet tech both cried right along with us when we had to put our older dog with cancer gently to sleep this past spring. The office staff are wonderful and accommodating and the kennel folks are great too. And I've never had any issues with billing.  The only reason I am giving 5 stars instead of 4 is because I do feel it is a bit expensive, but honestly I think that's just the going rate in this area. No one gets into the Vet business to make money.  If you want to do that, you go into some other field of medicine (or maybe professional sports :) ).Anyway, I think these folks do consistently great work and I have been a customer for over 10 years. Read Less

A big thank you to Bethel Veterinary Hospital and Dr. James McNamara and has staff for helping to save the life of my cat Amiago, Bethel Veterinary Hospital also tends to the need of my dog Teddy as well both pets are a member of my family and is like a therapy animals and important to my life. As I do not have kids of my own. So these pets are my kids. Thanks Again. Read Less

We just moved to this area.  Finding a decent Vet seems to be the only difficult process invloved in this major transition.I want to preface this review with a comment about most people and their animal kids...aka "pets".  Most people consider their pets family members, animal children.  It's the people working in the medical service industry for animals and humans a like who need sensitivity training.  it's a given that pet parents often come to the table in emotional distress.  Worrying about their pet's illness, how it will effect their pet's life and longevity, the treatment process and of course the cost of treatment is a huge factor for administration to always remember.  Unfortunately, sometimes, the people working in a Vet's office think it's all about them and really don't care what the pet's needs are which are always based their owners think, feel & ask. Among the ridiculousness of the management of this office, Terry the office manager told me the receptionist was crying based on a frustrating conversation about billing we had.  That alone is either an exaggeration or baffling.  If anyone should have been crying it should have been me since the receptionist repeatedly told me the procedure was billed as a package and could not be itemized or performed in the manner that served me.  So, clearly the office manager created packages that are not flexible and serve to make Bethel money and not help the animals in the best way possible.  The Office manager also told me that Dr Fitch Complained about me.  I have NO idea why Dr Fitch would complain about "me", i met her once, I was extremely polite, pleasant and did nothing short of tell her I liked her and was looking forward to her being our new Vet.  Either Terry the office manager is lying that Dr Fitch complained about me, or Dr. Fitch is a grin f*@ker.  As for Terry, the office manager...when one person is more emotional than the other, but the "other" tells that person she doesn't want to work with them to help them bill in a manner that will best serve to treat the beloved pet, you know that office is only doing this for the business, not the well being of the animal.having read the reviews of this Vet's office and seeing they killed more than one beloved pet, I still decided to try them out which is MY bad and I will indeed take heed of reviews from now on.  Also, FYI, Bethel Vet Hospital is a bit smelly and dumpy, especially for the prices they're asking.  I already had a quote from another Vet from NYC and it was almost half the price for the quote Bethel gave and immediately following that unpleasant interaction with Terry at Bethel Vet Hosp I called another Vet for the same quote and their is also HALF the price Bethel Quoted me, so....you do the math for yourself and your animal children.Finally, I called another Vet's office and they were empathetic, understanding of my dedication to my dogs and the Vet has a fantastic reputation.  Also, they had NO problem billing me in a way that works best for us. Read Less

Our Oliver, a rescue, was a neglected English Bulldog. Oliver became a patient of Dr. McNamara and Dr. Fitch, thank heavens. We thank Bethel Veterinary Hospital staff for all the love, understanding, help and determination you gave Oliver to give him a better life. Oliver would never have survived his previous existence. He would never have been able to show the world, that he was the most wonderful, loving, giving, sweetest, funniest, beautiful English bulldog ever. He made people smile and laugh although he went through a lot: allergies, skin problems, operations, Cushing's disease, ear infections, furuncles…. He got a lot of AWWWs. Oliver was an 81 pound huggiebuggie mush. Again thank all of you at Bethel Vet from all of us. Because of you, we were fortunate enough to enjoy Oliver for 3 1/2 years. Oliver would have been 8 on May 22, 2014. We will miss him. Read Less

I have been a client of Dr. McNamara's for at least 17 years if not longer. When he moved to Bethel Veterinary Hospital - I gladly followed him and have come to love and more importantly trust the entire staff. Recently my Shih Tzu was diagnosed with cancer. Dr. McNamara could have easily guided me down the expensive road of surgeries and treatments, but he did not. He took the time to explain all the options - and possible outcomes - gave me all the information I needed to make the decision that was right for us. When I made that decision - which was no surgery - he supported me with compassion. Confirming what I already knew - that the care of our pets comes first. For most of us - our pets are our family. It is important to know their care comes first. I have a dog and 3 cats - and the staff Bethel Veterinary Hospital are the only ones I trust.Read Less

I have nothing but praise for everyone at BVH! From the office staff to the techs and doctors, all are caring and dedicated to the well being of our pets. I wouldn't trust the health of my dogs to any other practice. Read Less

If you want a vet that can take your pet from healthy to dead in 24 hours, this is the place to go.We took our perfectly healthy 4 year old dog in for routine shots and a check up, admittedly we arrived 5 minutes late, but the vet was "too busy" so he just got his shots and was sent on his way. Within ours he was in respiratory distress, then he quickly lost the use of his back legs. Off to the after hours emergency vet were he continued to deteriorate rapidly. Less than 24 hours after his visit to Bethel Veterinary Hospital we had to have him euthanized. We called this "vet" to let them know what happened and they responded with "OK, Thanks for letting us know". That was the depth of their concern.If you value your pet, take them somewhere more compassionate and competent. Read Less