Do Not Go To Banfield Pet Hospital!!!
I recently had a terrible experience at Banfield Pet Hospital and am urging people not to use this company. Go to a respected veterinarian, like those at Clovis Pet Hospital. Here is my complaint letter to the company which describes what happened to me:
“Hello,
My name is ***** and I took my new puppy Andi to the Banfield Pet Hospital in Clovis, CA on Shaw and Clovis Ave. on Saturday, July 18 2009. I had just adopted **** and wanted to enroll her in obedience school but was told I needed a rabies certificate first.
I went to Banfield and they gave her a rabies shot and a few other puppy vaccines and took blood for a worm test. The vet came in and felt her belly and legs and checked her teeth and ears (which took about 5 minutes total), and then I was told I should enroll her in a wellness plan which would cover her shots, 2 physicals a year, and unlimited office visits. In my haste to do the right thing for my puppy, I agreed.
However, when i got home a number of people I know and respect told me terrible stories about Banfield and their Wal-Mart like treatment of animals. A close friend recommended a private veterinarian who is well known and respected in Fresno County and who is called upon when wild animals in the mountains and in the zoo become injured or ill.
I called Banfield, 4 days after I enrolled her (two days in which Banfield was closed), to remove my puppy from the wellness plan. I was told that since I called within the 4 day window I would be credited my first months payment and membership fee. However, I was told I would have to pay for the services rendered on the prior Saturday.
This was acceptable to me, as all that my dog has was a minor exam, puppy shots, and worm test. However, I was told that these services cost me $400. I reluctantly paid this amount. I then went to the new vet, and asked them to quote what they would have charged for the same services rendered at Banfield. This vet quoted me $150.00.
Now I would like someone at Banfield to tell me how a few puppy shots, a minor exam, and a worm test are worth $400. This is completely unacceptable customer abuse. The vet hardly touched my dog, but I am supposed to believe his 5 minute exam and a few shots that would cost $10 a piece at any animal shelter are worth $400, when a respected veterinarian quotes me the same services for almost a quarter of the price.
I expect I will receive a standard form letter saying that Banfield is apologetic but that nothing can be done, blah, blah, blah. However, I will say that I will never again use a Banfield facility for dog services. Moreover, I will let every person I know about this experience and that they should not use Banfield. Already 4 of my friends who normally take their dog’s to Banfield have said they will never do so again. And the city of Clovis and Fresno are small enough that it is very easy for word to get around.
I hope your executive management thinks about these kind of cases when making financial decisions. There are whole websites devoted to complaints about your company.
banfield-pet-hospital.pissedconsumer.com
www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/banfield.html
www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/banfield-c12091.html
www.complaints.com/2006/february/13/Banfield_Hospital_14298.htm
I have also contacted the better business bureau of Fresno and written an editorial to the local newspaper, the Fresno Bee. I advise considering a change of business tactics before a class action lawsuit is brought against your company, if there isn’t one already.
Thank you for your time.”
What kind of bad experiences have you had?
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2 Responses to Do Not Go To Banfield Pet Hospital!!!
I brought my dog to banfield for a year before he passed away. I would not have brought him anywhere else! That wellness plan, saved me over 900 dollars in treatments. His original vet, was trying to charge me 600 dollars, per fatty tumor (he had about 5), in dangerous areas to operate, where as banfield told me, it was a dangerous surgery, not worth the attempt. I finally had to euthonize him, due to cancer, and both the vet, and nurse sat on the floor with me, and petted him, through the whole entire procedure. I would not bring my animals anywhere else. I’m sorry you had a bad experience, but there’s no reason to bash the whole chain.
I had a different experience at the W. Shaw Banfield where I took my cat in for a life threatening infection and a fever of 107. They hospitalized him, gave him an IV + shots and put him on a cooling pad all day and sold me meds and food to take home. When I picked him up he was much better, however he didn’t eat or drink so I went back and got a subcutaneous IV setup to hydrate him. He still wouldn’t eat, so I brought him in again and they gave him an appetite pill, decongestant pill, a stronger antibiotic shot, and cortisone. The next day he was eating and rolling around in the sunshine and looking normal again. The total cost was about $600 for all the visits and extras. I don’t know of any cheap vets. I’ll say the place was spotless, the staff on top of their game, and not eager to sign me up for a wellness plan. I’ve been to Abbey Pet (old , rather grungy place on Abbey), before and they charged me $125 for an allergy shot for another cat that was itching. I took my cat Claws (same cat as above) to emergency when he got run over in the driveway (non -life threatening) and paid $210 for a subcutaneous (under the skin) shot of water and a pain shot. The emergency wanted to do about $1200 of stuff but I declined. Ten days later he was fine (8 lives now). I don’t know what the Banfield in Clovis is doing, but the one in Fresno worked for me. I would recommend them, just make sure you choose to do only the most necessary treatments and not every test they suggest. It helps to look at things on the web about treatments before you go in so you don’t get talked into unnecessary work. The second doctor I had who treated my cat last at Banfield seemed a bit more of an expert than the first and I am happy my pet is alive and well.