AA Animal ER Center Reviews (%countItem)
AA Animal ER Center Rating
Address: 36401 US Highway 19 N, Palm Harbor, Florida, United States, 34684-1329
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My 13 year old Chihuahua had a stroke and was unresponsive. I brought her in to be euthanized and was charged $293 and didn't even exam her.
My dog had a stroke last Friday on 2/22/19 and was unresponsive, her eyes were open and heart was beating but she did not react to touch. They asked if I wanted them to exam her and said she was too far gone. The doctor said they will giver her something to relax her first but never disclosed the price. The dog did not flinch to either needle, they charged $73 for the Telezol and $40 for the exam they did not give. I went in the following day to question the charges and they said someone would call me on Monday. On Friday I finally got a call from Anthony and he said they changed their billing practices this week and said they do not charge for an "exam" anymore (after my visit). They now charge $85 just for the doctor to walk into the room (his own words), that fee includes the "emergency fee". I will never go to that business again and I would warn people who do go there to ask prices before the services are performed even when you are at your most vulnerable moment. It is a crime the way they gauge patients even in their darkest times.
I feel I should be reimbursed the $113 which includes the $40 for the exam that she did not get and the $73 for the "shot to relax her" when she was already unresponsive.
The loss of a pet is a difficult time. In this instance Owners presented with their pet at 9:30pm on a Friday evening indicating their pet had been experiencing difficulty breathing and fainting for the previous six weeks and were seeking possible euthanasia. The Owners signed authorization for an initial exam at a cost of $85.00. According to the medical records, the veterinarian indicated the pet was exhibiting neurological symptoms and it was determined pre-euthanasia sedatives should be administered without delay. The Owners then signed consent for the veterinarian to perform euthanasia.
It is our hospital policy to have the end-of-life experience be as peaceful as possible for the owner and the pet. The euthanasia drug can cause significant pain and several involuntary reactions in a pet. These reactions may include loud crying, whining, sighing, paddling, tremors, and drooling. The reactions continue after death, sometimes up to an hour, and are extremely difficult to witness and can leave owners doubting their decisions and feeling helpless. Therefore, we administer sedatives beforehand to provide maximum comfort for the animal and to reduce the trauma for the owner. We have been in the business for over 14 years and our doctors have combined experiences in the emergency room setting exceeding 80 years. Ours is a professional practice and we strive for excellence in our field. It is a rarity that we receive a complaint, however we would prefer one over money rather than a complaint regarding a horrific end-of-life experience. The medications for euthanasia require a medical license for administration. This family received the benefit of the services of a veterinarian and we charged accordingly.
As our manager indicated to this Owner, we have recently changed our billing to indicate an office visit rather than the breakdown of exam and emergency. This change was due to pet insurance requirements and it was coincidental this change occurred the same week after this Owners visit.
I apologize for any misunderstandings and continue to send condolences to this family for their loss.
We received this Revdex.com complaint March 25 and called to request time to review the records and speak to those involved in the case and followed-up immediately thereafter.
Shannon G.
Practice Administrator
On May 5, I brought my deceased dog in to this business to have her cremated. I purchased a plaque with an impression of my dog's paw for $130. I never received the plaque and when I called they told me that they never had it made. I was told I would be contacted for a refund however no one has called me back, despite leaving numerous messages with their staff.
Product_Or_Service: Plaque with paw print
Refund I want my refund for the plaque that I never received. I was also promised that they would provide me with an engraved picture frame. Since I didn't get my dog's paw print, I feel that this is the least they could do.
We appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding this matter. When a pet dies the family's world gets turned upside down. It is a devastating experience that we try to make as peaceful and seamless as possible and strive to provide compassion and understanding throughout the process. The client contacted us on May 24th looking for the framed paw print that they ordered upon their pets passing. Since we had yet to receive the print from our vendor, it was explained to the family that we would need to contact the vendor to determine if they were having delivery issues. Since we are an after-hours business a fax was sent to the vendor to expedite contact and a reasonable time was given for them to investigate. We followed up with the vendor via telephone on May 31st. They indicated they have several check systems to avoid this type of issue, however when it was determined no paw print was preserved the vendor offered a collar picture frame with a custom engraving and sent a sample the next day. Upon receipt of the sample picture frame, the client was contacted regarding the status of the paw print and was offered the collar picture frame. The client requested time to think about the engraving for the frame and requested a full refund. A few days later we followed up with the client regarding the engraving and the refund. We also let them know our artistic staff member offered to paint a portrait of their pet at no cost. They seemed appreciative and wanted time to think about that. Since the client requested a credit card refund it required the practice manager to process so it could not be done immediately. The refund was processed and the engraved picture frame was ready for pick up on June 8th. We offered to open during non-business hours to accommodate their schedule for pick-up. To date the frame and engraving have not been picked up, however we tell all clients they can pick up memorial items when they feel ready.
We never want any family to experience this mistake and work diligently to ensure this doesn't happen. We are pleased that our third-party vendor upheld our standards of integrity and admitted that a mistake was made instead of sending a "fake" pawprint. We are doing everything we can to help the family get closure and do hope they take us up on the offer of a personalized portrait of their beloved pet if they so desire.
We received notice of the Revdex.com complaint on June 11th.
Time line:
Friday 5/25 - client spoke to CVT in our office, who explained we needed to speak to vendor; vendor contacted via fax to initiate investigation
Wednesday 5/30 - spoke to vendor and confirmed no pawprint
Thursday 5/31 - received sample collar picture frame
Friday 6/1 - informed client of situation and offered collar picture frame; client requested refund and time to think about engraving
Wednesday 6/6 - called client to discuss whether they prefer refund via check or credit card and obtain information for engraving. Client requested card refund which can only be processed by practice manager
Friday 6/8 - practice manager called client to issue card refund and notified client collar picture frame and engraving was ready for pick-up at her convenience. Offered to open during non-office hours to accommodate schedule - client not available. To date has not been picked up.
Monday 6/11 - received Revdex.com paperwork in mail
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I picked up the frame and finally received my refund. I still find that the lack of communication from this business is especially upsetting during a time like this and would have appreciated them keeping in touch in a timely manner and not having to chase my refund down. Will not be coming back to this establishment any time soon.