I'll start by saying that I worked as a veterinary receptionist for several years--at 4 different clinics in 4 different towns (we moved a lot for my husband's job). So with that being said, I like to... Read More
I'll start by saying that I worked as a veterinary receptionist for several years--at 4 different clinics in 4 different towns (we moved a lot for my husband's job). So with that being said, I like to think that I have a pretty good understanding of the inner workings of an animal hospital, and what should be the standard for care and exceptional customer service.
As a stay-at-home mom, I decided to take my dog to a low-cost clinic in order to try and save money as a single-income household. The lesson learned is: "you get what you pay for," and "do your research."
I took my dog to Hope for Animals in January 2017 for a basic wellness exam and vaccinations. The visit itself was okay. Most of the staff were friendly and the facility seemed clean. There was one technician, who upon passing my dog in the hallway, said, "Oh I don't want anything to do with you!" My dog is a rottweiler--and yes while the breed can be intimidating, I thought it was rather unprofessional of an employee of an animal clinic to say this when my dog did absolutely nothing to solicit such a reaction. It makes you wonder if she is there for the right reasons, or how she treats animals behind doors. In my experience it should be the goal of a clinic to make every client and patient feel welcomed and appreciated.
At the time of our visit I had plenty of heartworm and flea/tick prevention. Fast forward a few months--the weather is getting warmer and I am in need of more flea and tick prevention. At my visit I had noticed they did not carry the product I needed (a chewable flea/tick prevention), so I went to order the product through an online pharmacy. I then got a notice to call the clinic. I did so and left a message. When the receptionist called me back, she stated that they could not approve online prescription requests, as they offer competitive pricing. I told her that was fine--I'd be happy to make the drive to the office, I just didn't think they had carried what I needed! I asked her what the price was, and she paused a few minutes before saying, "Oh we don't carry that. Your options are [two heartworm preventions, I can't remember what they were] that you should have gotten when your dog was here in January and got a heartworm test." I reminded the receptionist that I wasn't even talking about heartworm prevention. It concerned me greatly that she wasn't sure what products they carried and what they protected against. Once I explained this to her, she said that they carried Vectra 3D and Comfortis. I explained that I did not want to use any sort of topical medication as I have a small child in the house, and Comfortis does not protect against ticks. She then suggested that I go to my "regular, full-service veterinarian." However I reminded her that I had paid for a wellness exam at Hope for Animals, and seeing as they offer other types of prevention, I didn't understand why they would not be willing to help me get the type of medication I needed for my pet. At what point does it stop being all about profit, and start being more about the well-being of the animal? I then asked to speak to a manager and was transferred to a voicemail. That was almost a week ago, and I have yet to hear back from them.
I think Hope for Animals is a fine choice for bare-bones care and customer service. Just make sure you do your research about what services and products you are actually being offered. I do not think I will personally go back here again--I will gladly pay more for services for better care elsewhere. Read Less