Majid Fno

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| map-marker New York, New York

Unprofessional and Pet and Dog Exploiters

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Princess Rose has been treated by Banfield doctor Miu Douglas and I have no complaints about the hospital. However, I do believe that Banfield exploits customers and their pet when it comes to the wellness program. I think that their policies are not explained fully and they misrepresent the wellness plan to reel in customers. Let me explain. I learned that the Wellness Plan is only, well, for dogs who are well. In addition, you cannot cancel at any time unless you pay off your debt with them for services rendered in which would be difficult as your pet needs to be cared for yearly or when necessary. You will never be free of payments and this is a binding contract - let's just say you signed at the bottom line with your blood and your pets' blood. The hospital can never tell you how much you will be paying for each visit in addition to the plan. The response is we will tell you after we have seen the dog. The bill is usually high and expensive leaving the pet owner in a frenzy. I, unfortunately, am disabled and I am limited to what things I can purchase. I have two pets and had one alone before rescuing P. Rose. They have been great blessings in my life and my concern is their health and my inability to care for them. I try my best to give them quality foods and care, but exploiting a customer financially who loves their pet should be a crime. Here is the scam: the plan does not cover "a sick pet" and only covers for those pets who are "well". What a crock?!? They cash in when your pet is "sick". Recently, P. Rose ate something that made her very sick. The hospital called me to tell me that they wanted to take some x-rays and something else. In total, my bill would have been $800.00. I told them to give her only the medication she needed as I am not well off as most of their clients and am a disabled person living on disability. Well, Princess Rose got well and has been well since. I think that imposing unnecessary services is also exploitation. However, I have repeatedly sought advise on what to feed my pet and I was told that I should not let her get too fat! HUH! WTH is wrong with these people. P. Rose is not overweight at all. She is a very picky eater because the people who had her before fed her house foods. She refuses to eat from her plate and wants mine. I left the hospital dumbfounded and confused. Like, what just happened here. Did she take a look at P. Rose. She is well developed, but I thought she was a bit too thin. Well, I fed her almost everything and a little stubbornness has helped some. She was 8 to 9 lbs and now she has gone from 12 to 13lbs. She is her ideal weight. I have been giving her vitamins and so forth. On 9/12/14, Mrs. Lorie Buchanan was the cause of my desire to cancel the plan. After explaining that I was uncertain about the plan and services, she began to rant and rave about an outstanding bill of services that I am obligated to pay. The amount was close to 1,000.00. I called the hospital and confirmed that I was not in debt with them. I called back and asked to have my plan canceled. It was not done and the cancellation department is just as bad as the customer service at Banfield. Nothing was done and they continued to extract payments. Luckily, I contacted my bank and explained what had happened. It is why I stated earlier that my pet and I signed the contract with blood. It is like signing a contract with Satan and selling your soul. You never actually are free from the contract and it is lifetime binding. Ridiculous, if you asked me. All in all, the treatment is not so bad when you take your pet and they seem to care about the pets. I still feel that they exploit pet owners and their pet when it comes to financing and services. The 800 number is a joke and the people who service you pretend to be kind until you tell them you want to cancel. The devil in them comes out and you are the worst pet owner in all the universe! It is how they make you feel. I am searching for another good insurance, but for now I will have to take her to the ASPCA or the Humane Society. Unless someone knows of a better place for the disabled. I think Banfield intended to be good, but they can be better. All they need to do is revise their policies and have a policy to accommodate the disabled. I am not satisfied and am appalled at the service rendered. Take your pet elsewhere. I give them ZERO stars!
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Loss:
$3000
Pros:
  • All hospital staff
Cons:
  • Exploitation of services
  • Exploitation of finances
Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Charlotte, North Carolina

Reaction in 2 dogs

I got a new puppy. She was 7 weeks old and covered in fleas. Being so young my first instinct was to give her a bath. Well, three later and she still had fleas so I called Banfield. I have 4 other pets on the wellness plan and had her scheduled to be as well. She was not due for her next shot but I had to take care of the fleas. Banfield recommended First Shield Trio. My other dogs were due for treatments too so I purchased enough for all. I was happy to have that taken care of. The next morning I noticed my 13 year old Chihuahua was salivating profusely. I thought he ate something outside and was not overly concerned. That night he started with muscle tremors. He was literally bucking his hind leg like a wild horse. I knew it was involuntary because he was so confused by it. The same night we noticed that our puppy seemed super lethargic. I'm talking like a wet dish rag. We kept an eye on her and let her sleep. The next morning she was so week that she peed without standing which soaked her in her own *** She is a St Bernard/Akita mix so she's certainly able to take a simple *** correctly. I called Banfield and the jerks refused to see her because the were busy and told me to take her to an emergency clinic. Are you kidding me?! I have 4 pets on the plan and will have 5 I said. I was again told to take her to emergency. I asked if I could drop her off and she could be treated whenever they had a chance. Again, big fat no. I was LIVID. I immediately looked up vets in my zip code and found one who could see her right away. Surprise Surprise both of my dogs under 10 pounds have toxic poisoning. It's only been 3 days but we do see tiny improvements. The Chihuahua so far only needed a couple of good dish liquid baths and the tremors have become less violent. He has stopped salivating. The puppy has needed IV fluids, B12 shot, baths and if she is not better by tomorrow we have to go in for steroids which of course is not so great for a puppy. Aside from giving poison to my dogs I have another horror story too. We had a 13 year old Chow/lab mix. We took her in for shots a month ago and they wanted to "express her glands". They go to the back to do this. They lifted our 85 pound dog onto a table to do this. She had a heart attack and died in 2 minutes. We will never really know what happened. :( Needless to say I have a new vet and I cancelled absolutely every plan with *** banfield. I will NEVER EVER use them again.
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6 comments
Guest

any meds can cause a reaction. Every pet is different just like humans who can have a reaction to meds.

You can't blame the clinic. It says there maybe adverse reactions if you read the insert. And as far as your 13 yr old its just a weird coincident that happened. Your pet could have underlying issies you weren't aware of that's why they recommend yearly bloodwk and semi annual exam for senior pets.

Don't blame the clinic veterinary medicine is not 100% accurate just like the human side.

Would you blame your dr if you had a reaction to meds that you never took and or a disease that was left untreated because you didn't get anything done annually at your physical

You are just looking for someone to blame and understandably. Sorry for your loss.

Guest

As a former Banfield employee, let me say - the company sucks. I only worked for them a few months and was sickened and appalled at the shotty medicine they practice.

They are all about the money and not about the pets. They claim that they are al about the pets but then they ride their hospital managers and doctors about making more money more money more money. Those so called "wellness plans" are just a ploy to make money. 90% of their vets are straight out of school - mainly because the good vets gets wise and move on fast.

While I worked there, I don't trust my pets to them. Stay away from them.

Guest

Yep. Banfield sucks.

They gave me Firstshield to put on my cat and he had a reaction to it on his skin. Its taking me a coupme months to cure a severe hot spot with no help from them. In fact, the vet denied an allergic reaction and wanted me to purchase more firstshield and put it on my cat again ! Iy got lrogressively worse so I left a message telling them what the problem was with a hotspot and the dr.

Did not return my call either. They suck and I will not use them anymore.

Guest

My dog also is bucking out his back leg after getting first shield trio. He is freaked out by it (so am I).

This is obviously a neurological side effect. Called banfield and they said to wash the site off so I used dawn dish soap.

Hope he will be ok. I do not blame banfield but will never use this product again and dosage is obviously too much for an 11 pound dog.

Guest

I am surprised at the way you were treated. We usually service hoarders really well because we know how much you contribute to our profits.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-838596

Who the *** are you talking to? Hoarders, huh?

I think you need a profit to your face. These are legitimate issues. Banfield should be shut down with a class action suit. My friend's 2 kittens died from first *** shield this past fall.

Both exhibited neurological issues and could NOT WALK.

How about we put some of the garbage on the vets that are recommending it. Furthermore, this *** says "for dogs only" on the box and they are giving it to cat owners!!!!!

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Anonymous
map-marker Mountain View, California

Staff Review

At one of my recent visits i saw the staff ridiculing a new employee in front of me and others it was very uncomfortable could not wait to leave
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Sahithi Oae
map-marker Fairfax, Virginia

Cancelled Wellness Plan with Banfield Hospital a week after enrolling, got hit with $400 collection charge.

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I was told I had the ability to cancel because it was so quickly after enrollment, so I did. Without any notice, a collection agency calls me 7 months after demanding payment. It would have been cheaper if I was told I couldn't cancel and didn't use their services and paid the $25/month. I had originally cancelled because they said their plan covered all vaccinations, but when my dog got boosters that Banfield required, they charged me for the booster vaccinations. All of their services and prices are inflated and unconscionable. I warn everyone to stay away from Banfield no matter what. They won't ever save you any money.
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Loss:
$400
Reason of review:
Not as described/ advertised

Preferred solution: Full refund

Avelino Myp
map-marker Winder, Georgia

Never take your pet to Banfield

I will NEVER NEVER NEVER take any animal back to Banfield for any type of care nor will I EVER recommend them to ANYONE! They did repeat bloodwork on Shady three times without ever giving me a real explanation on why only that his red blood cell count was low. Winders Corner (our new vet) explained to me that yes his red blood cell count is low but not at an alarming count and given Shadys symptoms he believes our dog may have a thyroid issue which was never checked in any of the three times banfield did bloodwork. Therefore we drew bloodwork today and will hopefully have these thyroid results back tomorrow. Then there's his hips and knees, he is moving quite slow. He had an injury to a leg quite some time ago, took him to banfield and they brushed it off as a sprain!! Well we did X-rays today at Winders Corner, hips are GREAT BUUUUTTT that supposed sprain nope not even close!!! He tore is ACL (human terms don't remember doggie term) but since it was so long ago surgery, which would've been recommended at the time of the injury, is not recommended due to this now being considered a chronic pain. So the outcome for this: my poor puppy has to be on pain meds the rest of his life at minimum twice a day :( And he will possibly be on thyroid meds the rest of his life as well, but we'll deal with that when the bloodwork comes back. Banfield - Bethlehem, ga location
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
1 comment
Michelle M Las

File a written complaint against Banfield with the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. (May be called something a little different in your state.) Call the Office of Consumer Protection or your Attorney Generals Office and ask where to file your complaint.

Dont let them get away with their ignorance! Good luck!

Anonymous
map-marker Woodland, California

Ripoff. True customer costs must be hidden in the fine print.

1. Overcharging for services. 2. Real cost of the wellness plan is hidden in the fine print-that you must continue paying even after pet has died. 3. Won't allow me to access my account online after pet has died, even though I still have an account and need to pay... . Stay with your private vet. After I sent an email in to cancel the plan, I got this in reply: Optimum Wellness Plans are set up upon enrollment either as a full year payment due up front, or a 12 monthly installment agreement. When we cancel a Wellness Plan before the current plan year is up, there are two options to choose from. Clients are able to pay for the services used, or the Wellness Plan, whichever is the least amount. Please see the cancellation amounts below: Cost to cancel for – Roger Ray Services Used= $513.14 - $179.80 (0 monthly installments paid) = $513.14 Remaining Wellness Plan Payments = $419.40 As a courtesy, we waived 3 of the remaining payments due to your pet passing away, new balance: $314.55 to cancel. The Optimum Wellness Plan has been set to not renew and will end on the anniversary date of March 20th 2016. Under the terms of your Optimum Wellness Plan Agreement, if you would like to cancel prior to the above listed anniversary date the remaining balance of $314.55 for the remaining Wellness Plan Payments will be due in full. You can also continue with your scheduled monthly installments of $34.95 and your last monthly withdrawal will be on December 19th 2015.
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Reason of review:
Problems with payment
1 comment
Guest

I actually think it's really nice that they only charge you for services you used before the passing of your pet. You only pay for what you used.

Anonymous
map-marker Winter Garden, Florida

*** Policy

We have been bringing our dog to this Banfield Pet Hospital for almost 7 years now. We purchased the Wellness Plans.

We never had any problems with the facility until recently when we tried to make an appointment for our dog to receive routine tests and a vaccination. We were told that in order for her to be seen she had to be dropped off in the morning and picked up later in the day. It was explained to us that the only had 2 Vets and the only way she could be seen other than this scenario was if both Vets were working that day. It took almost a month for her to be able to get an appointment.

It is asinine to drop my dog off and make her sit in a cage ALL DAY just to get her shots and test that we paid for with her Wellness Plan. My husband spoke to Stephen Eisele who is the manager of this location and he said that is the policy now and there were to be no changes. When asked for his supervisor/manager's information to discuss this with them he refused to provide the information.

I will not be renewing my policy with them this year as it seems this location is only interested in making money on surgeries etc. and not providing good customer service to the animals that just need routine care that they paid for!

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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
3 comments
Guest

Good luck canceling your plan, I discovered that! Cost $32.00 to cancel my contract at the end of one year. Their little automatic renewal deal in their contract.

Guest

banfield is currently in the progress of changing how things are done.

one is that routine appt, like yours, should be scheduled as a drop off appt. as a former employee i have always done drop off appt since i was there all day but since i have left i was not able to get an appt scheduled when i wasnt at work so i had to drop off my pom.

she ended up sitting in her kennel from 7 am when i dropped her off till 715 pm when i took her out and brought her home. she was never even looked at!! but thats another story.

the other thing that they are changing is that nurses and doctors will be going in to the exam rooms at the same time to make the process faster, in order to do this tho, rooms are not being loaded until the appt before that is over meaning you could be waiting after your appt to even get in a room.

now i don't know if its just this location or all of them but there has been times when people have had to wait 40 after there appt to even get in the room.

so who knows if this will even work but i am no longer taking my pets to banfield any more especially after my dog who has a heart murmur had to sit in a kennel for 12 hrs

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-976948

Having worked for them I can tell you their managers massively overbook. Everyday.

If you don't then leadership will be wanting to know why and your job could be in the line.

As a consequence appointments will always be runny late and they will always prefer to offer drop off appointment because they take less time to do than an in-room appointment. It's all about seeings as many pets as possible, quality be damned!

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Anonymous
map-marker Knoxville, Tennessee

Cat suffered and had to be put to sleep

My cat had urinary block , he was cathaderized , but they did not size the e colar on him right .He pulled the cathadar out as soon as I let him out of his carrier . They would not do anything to try to help him and his condition deterrierated! They did not give him enough medicine to keep him out of pain . They were rude when I called and told them he was in pain . When they relized what they had done they also told me he didn't need to come in to be seen that day . He had to be put to sleep , they were not even sympathetic . Sloppy work ! And attitudes not becoming to thier profession . Only interested that I payed the bill . Shame on them !
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Reason of review:
Bad quality
Anonymous
map-marker Roseville, Ohio

Banfield Pet Hospital - Wellness Plan Review from Roseville, Ohio

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I some how got sucked into the wellness program too, but anyway I go to the Banfield in Beavercreek ohio ( 5 yrs) every time I never get the same vet, never see the same people, always a big turn over in employees. Had a physical exam 2/26/15 for my dog. ( they always want to take your pet into the back room for the exam).Not me I want to to be with my dog so they preformed the exam in the room. Went to draw blood, from the jugular vein an this ( so- called ) vet Dr Bkooke Lohrey(JABED my dog 4 times ) very thrustfully that caused my dog a lot of unnecessary pain. Then went for another procedure an my dog had had enough of it an they had to restrain her she tried to *** them! In short very unprofessional..
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
1 comment
Michelle M Las

I admire you that you didnt let them take your dog into the back to examine him. I wish I would have thought of that on the day they took my dog from me and examined her in the back, then she would still be alive. They did all kinds of unnecessary things to her without my knowledge or consent and ended up killing her.

Anonymous
map-marker Mcallen, Texas

Worst pet hospital

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As soon as I got there the techs and the doctors put a lot of pressure to sell their expensive products and services. They add a lot of unnecessary tests and fees to make the bill go up. My bill was $400 for the super CBC test, disposal fees, they added a cherry syrup to mix the medication, the antibiotics, and 2 vaccines. That was only half of what my dog "needed". They scheduled my dog in 3 weeks to charge the visit again, and the Dr wanted to hospitalize my dog to "observe"her and charge hospitalization fees, and to "monitor" how she tolerated that heart worm pill and some medication to prevent reaction etc, etc for a total of another $200 I feel that place is a rip-off and I don't recommend it to anyone. Please, before you take your pet to any pet doctor, do some research and read the reviews.
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Loss:
$400
Cons:
  • Exploitation of services
  • Overcharging for services
Reason of review:
Pricing issue
5 comments
Guest

Was your pet diagnosed with heartworm disease?

Guest

I'm so sorry yet again sone1 else had to go thru this horrible experience !!

I really wish the FDa would investigate this company !!

It's not as though there's not enough complaints here to get their attention fr their help !!

FDA can u please help us consumers w this issues and other issues as this 1 !!!

Help help help !!!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-935443

HELP HELP HELP. Are you seriously crying for help, when the Vet is just doing their job?

In order to properly treat your pet a blood panel needs to be performed to check the levels of the internal organ functions, before ANY medications can be prescribed, disposal fees can not be waived, nor should they. Cherry syrup is used to help with the chalky and extremely unpleasant taste of the medication so the pet can actually keep it down.

If your pet has never had a Heart worm test, vaccinations, blood work, fecal exam, deworming, urinalysis. These are all services that will be recommended because they are BASIC care necessities.

Nyima Sot
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-942274

My cat jumped for our second story, and I took her immediately to the vet. With everything, including observation fee, it was 200.

This included medication, vet check, X-rays, and observation. I have no doubt it would be double at Banfield.

There is normal fees, and ripping people off. Banfield rip people off big time, and most of the time seriously pad their bill by adding everything possible.

Nyima Sot
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-942274

Oh, and my cat is a Bengal, and Banfield charges more for hybrid cats. My vwt does not, and the vet tech was able to take x-rays without sedation.

I think it is the stupidest thing I have ever heard charging more for hybrid cats! Like I said, my vet is not a parasite like Banfield, sucking the life blood out of his customers.

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Cheryn Moq
map-marker Howell, Michigan

Banfield Pet Hospital - Pet Medical Service Review from Howell, Michigan

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Scams, appalling business practices. Awful.

They told my disabled client he would be getting a free vet appointment. Such a lie. They tried to charge him $101.97 when we were there. They said the free appointment was only with a coupon found online.

No one said that on the phone. They also never told him that it would cost $18.95 for a rabies shot before they'd see the cat. They told him that to swab his cat's ear it would cost $34. It cost $38.67 and then another $3.40 to dispose of medical waste.

They attempted to sell him their wellness plan. This is just another way of scamming people. It is an absolute waste of money with tons of small print. When you just do a little bit of basic math it's clear how much of a waste it is.

When he said no they tried to convince me that it's worth it. I pointed out every flaw with the plan, it's not like they stopped trying though. They tried to get him to pay with a credit plan after that (which is a whole new kind of scam). His total at that point was still under the minimum finance amount.

I wondered how that was possible big discovered this morning when I tried to get some meds for the cat online. Turns out, cat meds need written prescriptions. It also turns out that they won't write prescriptions at Banfield. You have to buy all the meds there.

They mark up one med by 548% and the other by 50%.

If you have the time and money to deal with this, go for it. If not, steer clear.

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Reason of review:
Problems with payment
20 comments
Nyima Sot

You guys are mean. Cats in many states, as in California, are not required to have a rabies shot, so depending where this happened you could be wrong.

Secondly, it is well established that Banfield is nothing more then a money grubbing, inept, company that cares less about it's patients. The vets are *** and cannot diagnose anything. How much Banfield makes, it would not hurt to help out needy and disabled patients. Oh, yes, you *** uppity vets look down on any owner that cannot afford your exorbitant fees.

Well, considering the vets that work at Banfield are the McDonald's of the veterinary world, I would not stick my nose up to high.

You all suck, and most do not deserve to even be vets! Try to find a ounce of compassion, oh, wait, you work at Banfield, you have none.

Cheryn Moq

Did anyone read that this is a disabled person and someone who doesn't own mammals?! Does anyone understand extreme poverty?

Wow. I posted here because I was appalled by the way they pressured someone who was mentally disabled to buy things they can't afford.

I'm now also appalled that this website appears to be a place for people to explain to other people that they are *** for having an opinion. If you don't like my complaint that's cool, but I still firmly believe that a disabled adult was taken advantage of.

Michelle M Las
reply icon Replying to comment of Cheryn Moq

You have every right to complain. This is a complaint website.

*** Banfield vets! They suck!

Guest

Yes, owning a pet is expensive, but I don't see how a rabies shot could have been an unexpected cost since they are required yearly, or at least every the years of your area offers the the year shots. I'd the shots were not up to date, then the vets office is required to administer them at a fee to the owner.

Most vets offices charge at least $25 for this. Add fat as the disposal fee, that's pretty common too. Perhaps everything in that "trash can" was for proper disposal.

I understand living on a budget, but being a pet owner, you have to make allowances for unexpected costs, since they do happen.

Cheryn Moq
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-933069

I don't own mammals and they are disabled. We didn't have a clue. You're missing the point.

Guest

um if $18.95 for a rabies shot that the pets should be getting anyways is too much then perhaps they should NOT be having pets? I know that might sound cruel but if such a small amount is such a burden then why take on the responsibility of a pet.

they're not like kids who can learn to take care of themselves and tell you when something's wrong. tell your friend to be glad it was so inexpensive compared to some vets.

as for the script I would look into that as I don't see how they can't write one but can dispense the meds there?

for that I would definitely follow up on with someone in the know. but again as for the price if that little amount is a burden tell your friend he might want to give up his pet.

Michelle M Las
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-933028

Dont listen to these horrible vets that come on here to bash pet owners. They make nasty replies to pet owners who complain about Banfield but they will never give their name.

You do NOT need to give up your pet if you cant afford a rabies shot! Call your local Board of Health and ask if they are having a free clinic anywhere. You can also go to a Petco or local animal shelter for low cost shots and spay/nuetering. Just dont go to a Petsmart!

In addition, there are numerous charities that help people in need afford their vet bills. You can find a list on my website banfieldkilledmissy.com

You do not need to go to a Banfield to get a free 1st office visit. Go to a VCA Hospital, which also has a coupon online for a free first visit. I have taken my dogs to a VCA Hospital and used the coupon.

They didnt try to force anything on me.

I didnt spend a cent. vcahospitals.com

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Michelle M Las

I don't see you giving your name either...

Michelle M Las
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-933889

I will give my name..its Michelle

Cheryn Moq
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-933028

Not my friend, my client. They are developmentally disabled and I would never say such a rude thing to them.

As a person who doesn't own mammals I would never take this "common" thing into account. The point of this complaint is that a special needs adult was repeatedly pressured into spending money on services his animal didn't need.

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Avo Sdq
map-marker Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania

LICENSED ANIMAL ABUSE FOR DOLLARS!!!

We have a 7 month old Shih Tzu male puppy. Took him in for the "free" appointment to set up a date to have him neutered. Yes, I signed up for the optimum puppy care plan that would cover the neutering, shots & general wellness appointments. $35.00 a month for a year, well, this isn't our first rodeo & we KNOW how much these things run. Had to pay 1st month right then along with a starter fee-whatever they call it--the 1st "free" appointment ran me $72.00! Had to give them my bank card because of course, they take it out automatically.

Set up an appointment for 3 weeks for his surgery. That Saturday came & I dropped him off at 7AM as directed. A couple hours later we got a call that the Vet wanted us to come down to Petsmart as soon as possible. I'm an RN. Vet's, MD's, anyone who wants to "see you in person," that's NEVER a good thing. We went there. Basically, we were told they did the "initial" blood work & she wasn't going to do the neutering. He was in kidney failure and won't last 3 months...

We were devastated. She continued to talk--blah, blah, blah... Don't know that we heard or absorbed all the information...HE'S OUR BABY. I'm a nurse, chem panels can mean a lot of different things. Usually NOT a death sentence. She wanted to keep him for 2 days of antibiotics & IV fluids. It wasn't going to "cure" him, but might help--the blood work might be different tomorrow. We agreed. He's our baby...

First, I picked him up later that day as they asked. Well TODAY will be $395!!! Yikes!!! Blah, blah, blah, here's his antibiotics. Blah, blah, blah...My head hurts. Okay, we agreed to it--none of ANYTHING they did was covered. Hmm.

So they brought him from the back room...He was shaking so bad it was ridiculous! I'm talking FULL ON TREMORS! He was so scared & happy to see me. Now, this dog is Mr Personality-he'll walk up to & be friends with anybody. He is ALSO house broken. This was NOT the dog I dropped off! They brought him around the counter... He urinated from the time they put him on the floor, all over me, & all the way to the front of the store. He yelped when I picked him up to put him on the car seat and continued to *** This is a 10 POUND PUPPY--How big do you think his bladder is?

I went back in to address the urination & was told "They are NOT permitted to let animals out to urinate, so it's expected." EXPECTED!!!??? Let me get this right... You gave a PUPPY IV fluids ALL DAY and didn't let him out to *** He won't *** in the crate... So this poor little guy had to hold his water ALL day till I got there??? I call it ANIMAL ABUSE!!! I wouldn't do that to a patient, I can't IMAGINE it would be any different with a dog. I don't know about you but if I drank water ALL DAY LONG you better have a bathroom close!

He stopped shaking about 1/2 hour after after he got home & 3 more "accidents." He was also SO thirsty he drank a whole bowl of water. SO UPSET!!! My husband is the calm one in the family. We talked. Discussed the options & situation. Decided that we would go through the fluids again tomorrow then make a decision. Reluctantly, I dropped him off at 9AM Sunday. He started crying from the time we pulled in front of the building. Had to chase him around the inside of the car (this is NOT the way Tank acts!) Grabbed him, a new, unopened puppy pad & his water bowl and took him in for the day. I EXPRESSLY asked for them to let him out & please give him some water. "YES, yes, We'll take GOOD care of him, don't worry."

Picked him up later that day. AGAIN shaking & crying--AND URINATING!!! The bowl was dry & the pad had NEVER been open!!!! (anyone who has used these knows that a fresh pad kinda sticks to itself) Oh, we're not permitted to let him out--EVEN ON A PAD! ABUSE--LICENSED ANIMAL ABUSE!!! And oh yes, $300 please... Never again--done with you people!!! In case you're wondering. The IV fluids didn't help according to them. He's still going to die but bring him in in a couple of weeks for an ultrasound at about $600 for your "piece of mind" to see EXACTLY what's wrong but it's PROBABLY congenital--you should have it so you know for sure...

Um--YOUR DOG'S DYING... BUT you can have him vaccinated. $20 extra for a Benadryl shot he'll need to stop reactions...YOUR DOG'S DYING...BUT we can microchip him like you wanted...YOUR DOG'S DYING...BUT he needs this special PRESCRIPTION DIET???Advice to help him live, not given, not even attempted!! Just here's how we can get more money from you before he goes.Oh ya, I had asked them to manicure his nails while he's "out," charged for it but they NEVER did it! ABSOLUTELY FUMING AT THIS POINT.

Funny, while we were sitting there 4 other people were picking up their "babies." ALL were in various days of getting the RECOMMENDED IV fluids at $300+ a pop! Don't know about you but I've been in allot of Vet's offices over the years and I think MAYBE once a dog was getting IV fluid. We're in an average size populated area, not big, not small. Both my husband & I found it just a little bit ODD that 5 of us "NEEDED" IV fluid... What do you think? We have decided "CHA-CHING!!!!!!" Pray on the feelings of caring, loving, dog parents. For shame! Shame on you Banfield!!!

Oh but it continues... I waited a few days to make the call. I wanted to be calm, coherent, appropriate. I called the Banfield Optimum Wellness Plan service line. 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES LATER being held On Hold-High volume of callers--***! I hung up, probably what they hope for. I called back again a few days later. After being on hold for high volume (WOW they're busy people!) for 48 minutes (I timed it) I got an actual person. I told him I was not happy with the care and I wanted to CANCEL the Wellness Plan. I was told that the plans can't be cancelled but the can subtract what you paid & you owe the balance. That's not even pro-rated...that's the total. I told him that we were not happy with the care, that our dog was not going to live and I wanted to cancel the plan. He told me I owed a balance of $498. I calmly told him I wanted it cancelled. He said I owed $498. (Remember, we've already given them nearly $800 for services--not covered) I lost it! I told him that he didn't understand, it would be a cold day in Hades before they got ANY money from me! I was told "mame, would you like to listen to me?" (condescendingly) Was told you owe $498 here's our complaint number.

Called the compliant number... We don't do anything with the plan but I can write down your issues & pass it on to corporate. UGH!!!

Got a call a few days later from the vet wanting to discuss the message we left at "corporate" & Tank's care... Yeah, thanks but no thanks...

Banfield--LICENSED ANIMAL ABUSE FOR PROFIT!!

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Loss:
$800
Anonymous
map-marker Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Extremely poor customer service and equally unsatisfactory customer loyalty.

I have been taking my pets to Banfield since moving here in 2010. I have spent literally thousands of dollars for veterinary care at this facility. When I stopped by for a copy of my cat's food prescription I asked ( since they were not busy with any other pets ) if I could ask the vet a quick question. The counter person went back to ask the vet to come out. She came back and said the vet won't talk to me about anything unless I make an appointment and pay for a consult. Needless to say I am done with this group of idiots. Also, at every visit they pressure pet owners to purchase extra and unnecessary services. I have never liked this aspect of their service.
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Anonymous

Summary

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To everyone that thinks "oh, this problem is all Banfield's fault," let's look at some number. Banfield saw 2.3 MILLION dogs and nearly 0.5 MILLION cats last year alone. Currently there are 1118 complaints on this website. That's less than 0.1%. POINT ONE PERCENT!!! of people that complain. I'd say Banfield is doing pretty well. Also, people, if you sign a contract, you might want to actually read it! A Wellness Plan offers preventative care; it is not equivalent to insurance. If you want to have a pet, take some responsibility. You don't go to the grocery store and expect to walk out with free food. If your pet is sick, it costs ANY clinic money for equipment, tests, and employee training. And all anesthetic procedures come with a risk, even for healthy pets. Here's a good definition of the Wellness Plan: What is an Optimum Wellness Plan? Optimum Wellness Plans are designed to provide annual preventive care. They include head-to-tail exams, vaccines, early screening diagnostics, consultations for proper nutrition, dental care and more! Since wellness plans are not insurance, they do not include treatment for unpredictable or abnormal conditions, however discounts would apply. Because pets need ongoing preventive care, wellness plans automatically renew at the end of each twelve month period (unless paid in full at enrollment). One more important point: Google is NOT a doctor. Breeders are NOT doctors. Veterinarians go to college for a total of 8 YEARS, just like human doctors. Have a nice day. :)
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Reason of review:
Good customer service
13 comments
Guest

Throwing out numbers to defend Banfield misses the point, substandard pet care is never acceptable. I understand that you work for Banfield and this is damage control, but when your pet is the victim of negligence, inexperience, or dies in their care, those statistics don't mean a thing.

For that person, its 100% certain, it happened to their pet.

And pet insurance for medical care should not be charged if your pet is no longer living. Clearly there will be no further medical expenses incurred for your pet.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-893369

A wellness plan is NOT insurance.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-907963

Then your employees need to make that more clear when they sell them and managers need to not put their staff under pressure to sell these *** plans so much that they will do anything including lie to customers to sell them. our manager was always on us every day to sell this *** & so were her managers.

this company has to many managers making sales goals.

also these plans are ripoffs and under investigation for a group action lawsuit that their 'advertised savings' are a pile of *** and lies and that the savings are artificially inflated. its cheaper and better getting pet insurance that covers when your pet gets sick.

Guest

You must work for Banfield. This is not the only website with complaints about Banfield.

Our 4 month old dog almost died because of their vets lack of knowledge. I am not going to sit around and let this happen to any more animals, I am going to be sure the story is heard and a change is made!!!

Good luck if you bring a pet there, but for your pet's sake I really hope you don't.

And you did fail to mention if you even have a pet. I'm sure you just wrote this to keep your job and not have everyone thing Banfield sucks.

Guest

except that if you need anything not covered on their plan it is way marked up. my cat got sick & needed xrays & they wanted to charge $500, no payment plan possible even though my cat had been on a plan since she was a kitten.

i get that theyre a business but i dont have that kinda cash lying about so i called 2 other local vets.

both offered to do it for under $200 including their office visit fee & didnt need to charge extra to have someone else read the xray because their vets are trained better & can do it themselves. so ithis place is ok for the vaccines, but for sick pets i would shop about to see what your local vets prices are because for me it was way cheaper and i was able to be seen that day instead of having to wait days to get an appointment & be overcharged with banfield.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-883686

The consult is to have a radiologist read the x-ray. Any Dr is capable of reading their own x-rays, but a radiologist is able to detect subtle changes.

That's why they offer the consult.

It is not mandatory. It simply offers the best diagnostic option to you (since a specialist will get to see the x-ray as well).

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-883778

except that on this exact same website and on many others i visited i see multiple compliants about banfield vets misdiagnosing or misreading their xrays. that to me indicats that they are not capable of' reading their own xrays' as you state and need a radiologist or another ER vet to do it for them.

and if they felt confident in reading it why should the onwer be charge for an extra reading? what kind of drs do you hire or is it just all about getting an extra buck form the poor owners???

Guest

Nice try coorporate lap-dog. pat pat, well done you can recite what they told you to say.

Doesn't change the fact that Banfield has a well deserved, horrible reputation because it is nothing better than a vaccine clinic trying to pass itself off as an actual hospital. none of the 'hospital's are even open 24hrs, they can't keep anything over night, are too busy & too poorly staffed to deal with sick pets or anything that requires more than 10 mins. also from the 4 hospitals i tried when my pets had plans most of their vets seemed very inexperienced.

People wouldn't be as upset if they were more clear about what they can handle and what they can't, but they make it seem like they are a full service hospital able to deal with everything, and they are not. like any other big box company its all about the numbers, don't kid yourself otherwise.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-877824

Not all the clinics are the same. The one I go to has very kind, intelligent vets who care very much for my senior dog.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-877824

They're built to primarily provide preventative care, not emergency services. That's what vet ERs are there for.

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Anonymous
map-marker Canton, Ohio

Can't wait untill my plan ends!!

I took both of my dogs to Banfield in Massilon,OH to get there teeth cleaned. When we 1st got there, a girl that worked there stuck her face rite in my 1 dog's face!! My dog did not like that @ all & snapped @ her. We were taken to a room & Dr. Edwards walked in. I suggested that she do 1 of my dogs 1st & she snapped back “Hey! U don't boss me around! Ur the 1 with the dangerous dog, u shouldn't even have her! My nurse almost got bit cuz ur too cheap to spend $7 on a muzzle. I don't even like that dog here!” I said “she shouldn't have put her face in my dogs face! Ur getting smart with me!” That is the 2nd time I have been there that that same woman yelled @ me. It is rude & completely unprofessional!!! I stopped going to the Banfield in North Canton,OH cuz I had allot of problems with the Vet there also (she refused to fill my dogs RX for heart guard). When I went to pick up my dogs they charged me an additional $72 to double sedate my dog! They never called & Ok'ed it with me or nothing. They had no real reason to even do it other than my dog snapped @ that girl for putting her face rite in my dogs face. My dog still aint the same! She's peeing everywhere! I regret the day I ever got involved with Banfield. They have caused me nothing but stress the last 6 months. When my dogs plan ends next yr, i'm going somewhere else!!
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Loss:
$72
Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Full refund

4 comments
Guest

You shouldn't have even taken a questionable dog through pet smart to get to the bandfield without a muzzle! That could have been an innocent child's face instead and you wouldve been in more trouble.

Train your dog, take proper measures and next time tell the staff right away your dog is questionable. Plain and simple.

Dr. Edwards is a great vet and had right to be upset with you and angry.

Guest

Maybe train your dog! Regardless where the girl's face was the dog should of never went after her.

Don't blame the victim in this situation. And perhaps the doctor was defending her fellow coworker.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1006083

I have been bringing my dog to Banfield in Massillon Ohio since he was 7 weeks old and I have never once had any problems with Dr Edwards she is one of the best veterinarians out there she loves her work and she loves the animals that she takes care of as the other lady said your dog should be trained not to *** anybody what happens if a child goes into your dog's face is she going to *** the child to dr. Edward here is not the ignorant one you are

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1006083

First off, it is the parents responsibility to teach their kids not to stick their face in dog's faces! You should never let your child run up to some unknown dog!

Shows how low our expectations of children's behavior are! Secondly, if Banfield, was not a cheap *** company and actually hired professional staff that understood animal behavior, and how to handle fractious pet's this would not be an issue. Working with animals the pet nurse or whatever they are calling those inexperienced staff should be able to interpret if the dog is frightened or upset.

Shoving your face in a dog's is stupidly at it's best, and that *** girl would have deserves to be bitten. Maybe instead of over booking, hiring inexperienced teenagers barely out of high school, hire people with some ANIMAL EXPERIENCE.

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