Banfield The Pet Hospital?? - Alexandria

For roughly 5 years I've taken my two cats to various Banfield clinics and I've had no qualms to report...until earlier this week.

One of my cats is prone to kidney and bladder infections. He's previously been treated for this condition, and at this particular Banfield, no less.

Monday morning I woke up to a sick kitty...I promptly called and asked for an appointment. The receptionist told me to bring him, the vet will be able to look at him when he arrives. I take my cat and drop him off around 0800 &I fill out the prescribed paperwork. I specifically asked the receptionist to please contact me upon assessment & prior to treatment with his recommended course of action. Furthermore, one of their check-in forms annotates that the customer will be called for services over $100.

Roughly 45 min. after I dropped him off the receptionist called and said he was blocked (which I knew.) They wanted to run labs, get x-rays, and a number of other things, totaling close to $1000.

Having been through this before, with my standard bills usually a few hundred dollars, I said I did not need some of these extraneous services. She put me on hold. When she returned she said the work had already been competed. I said I did not consent to any work. Silence. She put me on hold again and fetched the vet. When the vet answered the phone, he proceeded to tell me that it was an emergency situation and it was too late. He apologized for the cost and said he's sure the front desk has a payment program. I told him it's their policy to call with the recommended course of action and I would not be held liable for the bill. Silence again! After what seemed like a few minutes he said he would call me back.

20 min later the receptionist called back, very nice and very apologetic. I told her I'm still not liable and I'll be there in a few min. to pick up my cat. I walked out with a $72 bill but have no idea how my cat was or was not treated. Did he receive any of the prescribed care and services they said he did? Not knowing, I stayed home with him for the remainder of Monday. He was lethargic but by the afternoon he seemed like his old self. It's Thursday now and he spent last evening in the Alexandria pet hospital...I had to take him into emergency care last night. Total - $950. Urgh.

Posted 08/26/09 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

I came across this site because I was looking for Banfields in the VA area as I may be moving there. I currently work for a Banfield in the St. Louis area and was reading the reviews at this location.

I found it humorous that one person on here noted that this Banfield never calls for due services. I have worked at several different Banfields and we always call for due services...almost to excess! Maybe this Banfield doesn't, but I would find it odd if they did not. AND, our corporate office also mails out postcard reminders.

But regardless, the phone calls are really a courtesy. I have never had a doctor's office or my childrens' pediatrician call for due services. You are just expected to remember. And lets face it, if you can't remember to bring in your pet for boosters in 3 weeks, then maybe that is your own problem--not your vet's problem.

This person also stated that Banfield was lucky that their pet did not contract heartworms or she would have fire bombed the place. Well, heartworm prevention is the pet owner's responsibility. YOU have to give your pet their heartworm prevention once a month! If you do not, that is also not your vet's problem.

I have had 10 years experience as a vet tech and I think it is unbelievable that people don't take responsibility for their own pets, but they are the first ones to blame someone else if their pet gets sick or injured.

GET A CLUE PEOPLE!

Posted 03/02/09 | Report Abuse

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you?

I have had good experiences here. I took my cat for a while when I first moved to town, and was always perfectly satisfied. I switched to another vet when I moved a little further away, and they always charged a LOT more for his visits. He even escaped from home once and was taken to vet #2 by a helpful neighbor, only to have them wait to call me to let me know he was there after they were closed on Saturday, telling me to pick him up Monday morning. I did, and got slapped with 3 days of boarding fees (almost $75!).

I always found the staff at Banfield nice and seeming very concerned about my cat's welfare. The other vet labelled him a "bad cat" and warned me that I should never leave him there for the day. Banfield never made me feel guilty that he gets hissy and mad when he's at the vet!

I had to take my roommate's kitten as a walk-in last week when her incision from spaying (which was done by a rescue group) got infected. Everyone was extremely nice and concerned, and she got treated pretty quickly and is much better now. I've decided I am going to start taking my cat back to Banfield, since they were so much nicer than the other vet I have been visiting.

I am sure that they make mistakes too, and sometimes charge a lot. But face it, vet visits are often expensive, no matter where you go. And the staff here has always been friendly and caring.

Posted 10/27/08 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

Today, I've taken my cat to the Banfield Pet Hospital (#447), and had a very unpleasant experience there. I have called them earlier today to inquire about a walk-in service, which included obtaining a health certificate for my cat. I was told by the person who answered the phone to go ahead and come in without an appointment. One hour after I called, I showed up at their clinic, where I was asked to fill out tons of paperwork. Afterwards, the receptionist named Rosaline (or something similar, Im not sure) told me that they don't have a veterinarian with a certification license on site. Now, I have told her right away, when I walked in, that I came to get a health certificate for my cat, and yet I was still asked to fill out paperwork, even though they had no licensed doctor. That made no sense at all. I actually left from work earlier after getting a confirmation from that receptionist via the phone that I could come in for a health certificate. I drove in traffic for over an hour to the hospital, where I got nothing but disrespect. When I asked to speak to a supervisor or a manager, they told me to wait. Well, I waited for almost an hour together with my poor cat. I spent forty-five minutes in the reception area, waiting to talk to a supervisor, because I could not get any satisfactory response to any of my questions from a very slow and disrespectful receptionist. She obviously had no clue what she was talking about, and kept wasting my time. Eventually, that same receptionist informed me that the supervisor can't see me, unless it's an emergency. That was a bottom line, and I left.

The Banfield employee, a receptionist that I had to deal with, wasnt trying to help me at all. She was just sitting there, faking a smile, and saying that it wasnt her who told me to come. However, I spoke with her on the phone at least twice, and I recognized her voice. Plus, she introduced herself when answering the phone, so I knew perfectly well that it was her, Rosaline, who was incompetent to the point it became ridiculous. Yet, she was looking me in the eye and kept repeatedly lying to me. At the end she refused to call a manager. If the supervisor was busy, she could have called the manager. I had to call the store manager, after I left, and he had no clue about the situation, he was actually surprised that he wasnt informed.

If they simply told me that they didnt have a doctor with a current license to issue health certificates, I would have gone to another clinic and be done with it. Time was really of the essence for me, because we needed the health certificate for my cat to travel this week. I don't understand why Banfield so carelessly hires people who are so incompetent, who make a joke out of the customer service and who lie shamelessly to the customers.

Posted 09/10/08 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

Fall for the big sell and buy their "Wellness Plan". They'll promptly charge your credit card every month, with flawless consistency. BUT, do you think they will ever notify you when a vaccination or booster shot is due? Forget it. They have no sense of responsibility for that, as long as they're getting paid. My dog was late for something every time I brought her in. Scamfield is lucky she never contracted heartworm or parvo... I'd have fire bombed the joint.

Posted 09/13/07 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

I feel just like I just got hit over the head and robbed.

This place relentlessly tries to upsell you on tests and treatments that are completely unnecessary. Then, they try to sell you a pet health plan and get irritated when you say no.

The last straw was when they insisted that we come back two weeks later for a 5-minute visit to get a missing shot. They had the nerve to charge for a second office visit and full checkup.

What a scam!!

Posted 12/22/06 | Report Abuse

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you?