Nf89
Member
I don’t know who to turn to anymore or even what my rights are. This is such a complex situation and I strongly believe my emotions have been taken advantage of. I would welcome any advice anyone might have. I’m going to copy the letter I sent to the vet as it gives all information just blank out names. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Dear whom it may concern,
Please find all information below regarding my complaint, if I feel this is not looked at fairly and all circumstances taken into consideration I will be seeking further advise from RCVS, who I have already been told to contact but would rather we could sort an agreement between us first.
I would like to raise some concerns I have over C**** my puppy and the information I received from your vet on the 21/09/21, I do not feel I have received the best practise from your surgery.
C**** was bought in by my friend as I had not yet registered him with a vet as only bought him 48hrs beforehand. All vets I called in my area would not register new clients or did not have any appointments for that day. My friend phoned your ver**** branch as that is where she is registered and explained the situation in full, they agreed to see C**** and put him on the system in my friends name. C**** was very poorly when he was bought into you, the vet that checked him over explained it could be a fold of the intestines or parvo. Because C**** was not my friends dogs she called me and I was on the phone while information was being given and spoke to the vet. It was explained to me that C**** would need an ultrasound and blood tests for parvo and any other infection costing £600 and over night care with pain meds and fluids costing another £600. This was £1200 before any treatment and if it was parvo he would be put to sleep. As you can imagine my emotions were all over the place and I was devastated, I explained I did not have that sort of money right there and then so was there any way they could do an ultrasound and check the intestines first before doing bloods incase it was that? I was told no he needed both as he was so poorly. I was also told that if he needed surgery that would be a few thousand pound on top of the £1200. The vet was really upset by the situation and also said it was awful as it was just down to money so went away to see what could be done. When entering the room again she said there were 2 options either put C**** to sleep which she didn’t want to do to a 14 weeks old puppy or sign him over to the vets so I did not have ownership of him any longer and someone there would keep him and pay for the bill. I did not want my puppy put to sleep so agreed to sign him over. I do not believe I was in the right mental state to make that decision and at the time did not have full capacity due to my emotional state.
My friend asked when signing the paperwork can I sign this as he isn’t my dog and she was told yes because he was on the system as hers. I gave my friend permission to sign it but as stated I was not in a fit state of mind. The next day after a sleepless night and being so upset by the whole situation I realised I had been backed into a corner, what choice had I had. Either pay £1200 there and then plus more after treatment or sign him over, there was no time to think about it the decision had to be made straight away as his life was in danger.
I called the following morning to ask how he was doing and if they had found what was wrong with him and was told he had had surgery through the night as he had a cold in his intestines but was doing well. I explained all the above and asked if there was anyway he could be signed back over to me if I paid the bill and asked for a cost. Reception said they would call me back that morning. No one did, I called again and asked how he was and if the cost had been worked out yet and again told someone will call me back.
I was then called by another lady who changed all c**** details on the system over to mine so he was no longer in my friends name and she told me they still hadn’t done the bill but he was doing well and really perked up. Meanwhile I know someone who works along side your vets so asked her if a payment plan was something that could be offered and she said yes it should be.
After calling late in the afternoon for the 3rd time I explained I needed the cost as my dad would put a £500 payment down and I could work out a payment plan for the remaining, I was informed someone from finance would call me back. 18.20 came still no call and only 10 mins until the practise closed, I rang again and spoke to the head vet who said £500 isn’t enough and how would I manage weekly payments if my dad was the one paying the £500?
As explained above I was backed into a corner and was not in the right state of mind when signing c**** over to your vets. The bill as of last night was not £1200 plus a few thousand for surgery it was £1950 so I do not believe I have been given all the correct information. I also now believe I am going to be refused my dog back due to money, I understand your a business but you also have a duty of care to animals and surly money should not come before that duty? I’m not refusing to pay I’m simply asking for some compassion and understanding in this unusual situation. Never did I expect 48hrs after buying a puppy to then be hit with a bill like this. After looking at the terms and condition on our practise website you state that even with an inability to pay, emergency treatment to elevate suffering will always be given. These terms have been broken on your behalf because my 2 options when explaining I did not have that money there and then were to put him to sleep or sign ownership over to the vets.
Kind Regards
Since sending this letter the vets have point blank refused a £500 payment and a payment plan and have said without full payment I can’t have him. They have also stopped giving me any info on how he is and said your not his owner anymore. I have spoke with the RCVS and they couldn’t help so they put me in touch with their mediator service who said because he was signed over (even via my friend) I had given up ownership so the vets did not have to give him back without full payment.
I can’t bare the thought of loosing him
Dear whom it may concern,
Please find all information below regarding my complaint, if I feel this is not looked at fairly and all circumstances taken into consideration I will be seeking further advise from RCVS, who I have already been told to contact but would rather we could sort an agreement between us first.
I would like to raise some concerns I have over C**** my puppy and the information I received from your vet on the 21/09/21, I do not feel I have received the best practise from your surgery.
C**** was bought in by my friend as I had not yet registered him with a vet as only bought him 48hrs beforehand. All vets I called in my area would not register new clients or did not have any appointments for that day. My friend phoned your ver**** branch as that is where she is registered and explained the situation in full, they agreed to see C**** and put him on the system in my friends name. C**** was very poorly when he was bought into you, the vet that checked him over explained it could be a fold of the intestines or parvo. Because C**** was not my friends dogs she called me and I was on the phone while information was being given and spoke to the vet. It was explained to me that C**** would need an ultrasound and blood tests for parvo and any other infection costing £600 and over night care with pain meds and fluids costing another £600. This was £1200 before any treatment and if it was parvo he would be put to sleep. As you can imagine my emotions were all over the place and I was devastated, I explained I did not have that sort of money right there and then so was there any way they could do an ultrasound and check the intestines first before doing bloods incase it was that? I was told no he needed both as he was so poorly. I was also told that if he needed surgery that would be a few thousand pound on top of the £1200. The vet was really upset by the situation and also said it was awful as it was just down to money so went away to see what could be done. When entering the room again she said there were 2 options either put C**** to sleep which she didn’t want to do to a 14 weeks old puppy or sign him over to the vets so I did not have ownership of him any longer and someone there would keep him and pay for the bill. I did not want my puppy put to sleep so agreed to sign him over. I do not believe I was in the right mental state to make that decision and at the time did not have full capacity due to my emotional state.
My friend asked when signing the paperwork can I sign this as he isn’t my dog and she was told yes because he was on the system as hers. I gave my friend permission to sign it but as stated I was not in a fit state of mind. The next day after a sleepless night and being so upset by the whole situation I realised I had been backed into a corner, what choice had I had. Either pay £1200 there and then plus more after treatment or sign him over, there was no time to think about it the decision had to be made straight away as his life was in danger.
I called the following morning to ask how he was doing and if they had found what was wrong with him and was told he had had surgery through the night as he had a cold in his intestines but was doing well. I explained all the above and asked if there was anyway he could be signed back over to me if I paid the bill and asked for a cost. Reception said they would call me back that morning. No one did, I called again and asked how he was and if the cost had been worked out yet and again told someone will call me back.
I was then called by another lady who changed all c**** details on the system over to mine so he was no longer in my friends name and she told me they still hadn’t done the bill but he was doing well and really perked up. Meanwhile I know someone who works along side your vets so asked her if a payment plan was something that could be offered and she said yes it should be.
After calling late in the afternoon for the 3rd time I explained I needed the cost as my dad would put a £500 payment down and I could work out a payment plan for the remaining, I was informed someone from finance would call me back. 18.20 came still no call and only 10 mins until the practise closed, I rang again and spoke to the head vet who said £500 isn’t enough and how would I manage weekly payments if my dad was the one paying the £500?
As explained above I was backed into a corner and was not in the right state of mind when signing c**** over to your vets. The bill as of last night was not £1200 plus a few thousand for surgery it was £1950 so I do not believe I have been given all the correct information. I also now believe I am going to be refused my dog back due to money, I understand your a business but you also have a duty of care to animals and surly money should not come before that duty? I’m not refusing to pay I’m simply asking for some compassion and understanding in this unusual situation. Never did I expect 48hrs after buying a puppy to then be hit with a bill like this. After looking at the terms and condition on our practise website you state that even with an inability to pay, emergency treatment to elevate suffering will always be given. These terms have been broken on your behalf because my 2 options when explaining I did not have that money there and then were to put him to sleep or sign ownership over to the vets.
Kind Regards
Since sending this letter the vets have point blank refused a £500 payment and a payment plan and have said without full payment I can’t have him. They have also stopped giving me any info on how he is and said your not his owner anymore. I have spoke with the RCVS and they couldn’t help so they put me in touch with their mediator service who said because he was signed over (even via my friend) I had given up ownership so the vets did not have to give him back without full payment.
I can’t bare the thought of loosing him
