Man Says Vet Refuses To Release Dog Because Of Unpaid Bill
Josh Gomez wants his dog, Pilot, back, but he says that his veterinarian is keeping his dog hostage.
Pilot’s veterinarian, Garry Innocent, said Gomez has a $974 bill that he needs to pay or he will send Pilot to the shelter, where this black puppy could be euthanized.
Innocent said if that does happen, it would be Gomez’s fault because he simply needs to pay his bill to get his dog back.
Currently, Pilot is in the animal hospital, and he is scheduled to go to an animal shelter on Tuesday.
Gomez, a music teacher, has filed a lawsuit in Gwinnett Superior Court, Georgia to prevent Innocent and PetFIRST animal hospital from sending his dog to an animal shelter.
In the suit, he said he paid the clinic $1,125 to treat his dog for a virus. He said this was the agreed upon price. Gomez said then the clinic added extra charges that he couldn’t afford.
Gomez also added in the lawsuit that Innocent and PetFIRST said “they intended to dispose of his pet up to and including euthanization.”
Innocent argued that he never specifically told Gomez that his dog might be euthanized.
The veterinarian said that when Gomez brought Pilot into the hospital, he told him that it would at least cost $1,400 to treat the dog. Innocent stated when Gomez returned a few days later, the fee had increased to $1,640 for treating and boarding Pilot. The unpaid bill continues to grow because of the $27 a day boarding fee for Pilot while he is still there.
In Georgia, veterinarians can legally hold pets when owners do not pay their bills. If an owner does not pay the bill within 10 days of receiving a demand for payment, the animal is declared “abandoned.” The pet can be sold, given away or sent to a shelter and euthanized.
Innocent said thousands of pets in Georgia are abandoned at animal hospitals and “get put to sleep because of owners like this jerk. It is carnage. While the law cracks down on Michael Vick for dog abuse, nothing gets done about Joe Schmo for this kind of abuse. We don’t want to put this dog to sleep.”
A Georgia Veterinary Medical Association spokesperson said that it is extremely hard for veterinarians to dispose of abandoned animals. He said that most of the veterinarians are torn between deciding to run a business and doing what’s right by the animal.
Gomez’s lawyer said this Georgia law is unconstitutional because animal hospitals and veterinarians are able to take a person’s pet without due process.
Gomez said he would be extremely heartbroken if Pilot was euthanized. He said he has already put $400 on his girlfriend’s credit card and took out a $750 loan from his boss to pay the animal hospital.
He said he will continue to fight to bring his beloved dog home.
UPDATE: Earlier this week, Innocent said he will not bring Pilot to the shelter because of complaints and a warning from Gomez’s attorney. Instead, he will give the dog to one of his clients who wants to adopt him.
Source: AJC.com
September 15th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Can’t these two guys work out a payment schedule instead of throwing money at lawyers?
September 15th, 2007 at 10:48 am
sick.
were i the dog’s owner, i’d get him back by whatever means necessary.
September 15th, 2007 at 10:58 am
I’m with you shibadiva. This does no one, least of all the dog any good. The vet certainly isn’t going to enhance his reputation - we can all imagine being in this situation. The owner is doing his best and a perfectly good dog is going to end up dead. Now who wins with that?
Why doesn’t the vet just take the owner to small claims court?
September 15th, 2007 at 11:04 am
this is tantamount to extortion. and that bit about never “specifically” telling the owner that his dog was going to be killed can be translated as he made a veiled threat to kill the puppy if the guy didn’t pay up. i’m amazed at the character of the people who choose to become veterinarians nowadays. i suppose i shouldn’t be surprised though. the quest for the almighty dollar supercedes everything now.
September 15th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Or the guy can go to the shelter and get his dog for their fee, say$125 has got to be cheaper than paying the vet.
September 15th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
The vet should be arrested for extortion
September 15th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
wow, since he’s already paid a hefty chunk, the vet should give him a payment plan. and let him take the dog home instead of raking up more charges!
this guy doesn’t sound like a “jerk” or one of the thousands that abandon their pets at the animal hospital.
September 15th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
The vet is the JERK!! He is suppose to be saving lives, not taking them. He doesn’t love animals if he can look that adorable puppy in the eyes and tell him he is sending him for euthanasia. This vet should have his license suspended if he is unwilling to work out a plan with the owner to pay the bill. Would a doctor euthanize a child if the parent couldn’t afford the bill?
Also, Georgia needs to do some revamping of its laws.
September 15th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Just pay the bill - then go to court after your dog is home and safe — and one other thing — FIND ANOTHER VET FOR FUTURE PROBLEMS ——— I had a vet tell me my dog had heart worms (he was a rescue) - I asked for a heart x-ray because one HW test would show positive and one would show neg. — Nothing showed on the x-ray — so she said — I went to another vet for a second opinion and they wanted me to bring my dogs heart x-ray — It’s my x-ray I paid $149.00 for — That’s funny my previous vet couldn’t find the x-ray — I MADE them pay me back for the x-ray that wasn’t taken in the first place — and by the way my dog was negative to Heart Worms !!! There is also something else to do make a report to the VETERINARY MEDICAL BOARD AND THAT VET WILL DEVELOP A RECORD.
September 15th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
I live in GA and can’t imagine my vet ever doing anything like this. Why not a payment plan? This is absolutely idiotic. I can truly say that GA is terrible for pets - almost all of my creatures were dumped or abandoned by their previous “owners.” This was not so much of a problem in NJ where I lived before moving here. This vet is a fool if the guy has already paid a substantial amount and he won’t agree to payment terms. I would like to see an accounting of all the charges too - padding the bill may be an issue too. There are some of the weakest laws on dogfighting too in this place.
September 15th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Somebody needs to ensure the safety of this beautiful puppy and then worry about the idiot humans who are fighting over him. I hope the this dog doesn’t end up dead because of this situation! Just makes my blood boil!!!
September 15th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
I used to live in GA and had not know of that law before. I’m saddened to hear that one exists. With as much money as he has paid, it is obvious the man has made a good faith effort. We are talking about a life here. I certainly hope the Gwinnett County Sherriff will makes sure the dog is “rescued” from the shelter and not put to sleep.
It is unfortunate that many people are unable to obtain pet insurance (which of course you have to pay the bill first before reimbursement)…but after a certain age - pets are not eligible. These bills can kill most people’s finances when an emergency occurs.
If the man has not tried yet and if anyone knows him, see if you can get a CARE CREDIT card, if the Vet takes them. Care Credit loans can take care of the bills and then you pay them back. Another option is a quick loand from Citifinancial….and then find another vet.
I know the vets are trying to run a business…but this is a life. Hospitals don’t hold humans hostage until the bill is paid. Very sad indeed.
September 15th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
The vet actually called the owner, a music teacher, a “jerk”? The vet is the real jerk. I agree the owner should pay the fee at the shelter, not pay the scum that calls himself a vet another dime. Then go online and destroy his “business.” There are sites to rate veterinarians. Get the word out this vet is a jerk and unscrupulous character. The owner should also file a formal complaint with the state veterinarian association. No ethical vet would not give an owner an opportunity to use a payment plan on such a high bill.
September 15th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
It’s a power play on the vet’s part, most likely because he’s pissed about not getting his money all in one chunk. It sounds like the vet has been stiffed in the past, and he attempted to make, and is making, an example out of this guy and his dog no matter how immoral and greedy his actions. He figured the guy was helpless in this situation, probably never betting the man would take it to the media.
I’d say it’s all about money with many vets. For example, with the vets around here in the SW USA, you could bring your dog to them dying in your arms and if you didn’t have the full amount for treatment up front, you would be turned away. Even if, say, you had your paycheck hitting the next day and could pay the bill then.
An emergency specialist vet hospital opened up around here, and they take either animals referred from vets, or animals sick after normal vet hours, and they’re the emergency hospital I use. They will take 60% down and let you pay off the rest after treatment is over, or may make other arrangements for payments. They’re a bunch of young vets banded together, and are nice, decent people. I had to have my old dog euthanized in June, and because they were so caring, it made a very hard and sad situation much more bearable.
And I did pay just the 60% down; it’s all I had that night to do the initial tests and treatments to save my dog, to no avail. I’m forever thankful, it’s really a gift, that I was able to even TRY to save him, due to this animal hospital with a heart. It’s much more peaceful to live with the loss knowing I was able to try to treat him, first.
Let’s put it out there in plain language, for all the vets — your treatments (and even visits) have gotten quite expensive!
It says a lot (all bad) about the vet, that *compromises* not involving inflicting harm on a man who loves his dog, and euthanization of this dog are available, yet the vet isn’t interested. He’s quite willing (and probably even enjoying) inflicting emotional harm upon or even killing a dog to make his power-play point. It’s sickening. Anyone who becomes a vet in order to make money, instead of to heal animals is a hazard to humanity AND the animals we love.
September 15th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Can you hear the vet’s clients running away? ;)
September 15th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
If you want to send an email to this “jerk” of a vet, try this link:
http://www.petfirst24hour.com/contactus.htm
His “business” is in Duluth, Georgia.
September 15th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
The vet is in violation of so many codes - if he euthanizes, he can and should be arrested, jailed, sued. In jail they’ll find a way “euthanize” him… whoever licensed this vet should also be sued… and whatever city allows him to practice should be sued. Immediately if not sooner.
In fact, pet owners should file a class action suit against that specific vet right now, because just reading that there are vets out there like that, makes me scared for my own pets.
September 15th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
I Just got off the phone with Dr. Innocent and have posted my conversation to my blog … http://www.petfoodtales.com
Interesting to get the other side of the story….
Robert
September 15th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
The vet just lost WAY more that $1000.00 in business. I guarantee that his business just took a huge hit.
What an asshole.
September 15th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Bet my dog wouldn’t be going to that vet after reading this. I have always had vet’s that work out payment plans. I mean even hospitals do that for people with out insurance. It almost sounds like the vet really doesnt’ care about what will happen to the puppy, or maybe he just is in practice only for the $$, I have seen one of those too.
September 15th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Nobody has commented on the irony of the vet’s last name, Innocent….
Anyhow. My emergency after hours vet service give a lowball, medium ball and highball price, with a list of the services provided for each and you have a choice on how far into you will go.
They do not tack on anything extra without your permission. They call you on the phone if something comes up and they need to do something else and you are then given more options. My regular vet does that too.
This vet is being an unneccessary hard arse and he should be put out of business. (I read his side too)
THAT BEING SAID, how does the dog owner not pay the additional amount but can afford to take it to court???
Something is wrong with this story…
September 15th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
This dog had Parvo, did not have his vaccinations, and was noticeably ill by his owners over 8 hours before being brought into see the vet. The vet saved the dogs life and the owner has not paid the bill fully, which the owner agreed to do.
Vet care is expensive and if Mr. Gomez had been the responsible pet owner, then this would not have happened - vaccines are cheap compared to this. And if he could not pay the whole bill, he should have tried to make some agreement up front, although PetFIRST 24 makes it clear they cannot do payment arrangements. If this was not acceptable to Mr. Gomez, he should have found another place and sooner in the day instead of waiting all day and PetFIRST 24 being one of the only vets open that late.
I believe the AJC is crucifying a Dr. who cares for his patients, but without payment, cannot provide service for others. Dr. Innocent is going to find the dog a home if Mr. Gomez doesn’t pay the final bill (now over $1,000 due to the number of days the dog has been boarded) and the 10 day notice period is up. Pilot is not going to die.
Thanks!
Robert
September 15th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Anna - the vet is not in violation of any codes. GA Law provides that after a 10 day notice period to pay for the services and the owner doesn’t then the dog is considered abandoned. Its a law that sucks….but it is the law indeed.
We all have a heart for these poor pets who need healthcare, but service is not cheap. Doctors have employees to pay, benefits to pay and their own business expenses. Plus they want to make a good living just like all of us. We sometimes forget that medicine isn’t a free item. I know i’m not working for free at my job - I have a family to take care of.
I believe Mr. Gomez is the one trying to get public opinion swayed against the vet so he can get his dog without having to paying anything else. The vet did nothing wrong - Mr. Gomez did because he failed to pay when he said he would.
Until the day the law changes animals from property to equal citizens, then there is nothing that can be done. What Mr. Gomez has done (if you want to make a comparison) is eat at a fine dining restaurant….enjoyed the service, but then decides he really doesn’t want to pay the full bill. You can’t do that….you don’t go to a place for service and not have the money to pay. Have a credit card for emergencies. Instead of buying an XBOX game or another movie at Blockbuster…put it away for an emergency with your pet…..we all make choices in life and sometimes our own personal choices are not so good for our pets.
September 15th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
This pet owner went to this animal clinic and got an estimate on what it would cost for the care of his dog. He paid the amount he was told.
All of a sudden the fees went higher?
I would like to know how many other people this man has done the exact same thing to.
How can you ever trust this clinic? You call and get an estimate on how much it would cost to spay your dog. They give you a detailed listing on what it would cost. You bring your dog in, prepay the bill, then find out the bill is $200 higher when you return to bring your dog home.
That’s acceptable? I wouldn’t bring my dog to this vet clinic if they were the only clinic left in my area. I’m sure this isn’t the first time this vet has done this to clients and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
What the man brought the dog in for is not the issue. Read what this says about the Parvo virus:
It can be very hard to successfully vaccinate a puppy for this disease because the antibody protection the puppy acquires from its mother can interfere with vaccination. It’s a virus that can stay in the infected area for months.
Not everyone uses a flea/tick treatment for their dog. Not everyone uses a heartworm prevention for their dog. Does it make them a bad dog owner? No.
September 15th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
This darling black puppy is now a survivor of Parvo and someone will adopt this sweet baby and give him a forever home and they will make sure he gets his inoculations on a regular basis. I do feel like the dog has been abandoned if it is true the owner has not contacted the Clinic since the last few days of August. I also wonder why the Vet would not work out a re-payment plan with the owner after he had already paid a large amount of the medical charges.
September 15th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
There should be a better business bureau type information source that people can refer to for veterinarian and people doctor sources, so that people can obtain reports of how respectable a doctor or vet is before ever “signing away” your bank account to some doctor that was “suppose to” take some type of oath to help and go good for others. Way too many individuals get into the health care services for one purpose, to get that big paycheck. These “doctors” that put money above the care and well being of people and animals are nothing but vampire bats, parasites that take and take, like someone sick with greed. Then these “professionals” have the audacity to say that they are healers and want to be paid twice by the universe, god or whatever for good luck and be recognized as some sort of saint after getting huge amounts of money. Those doctors, people or animal doctors, that get massive excessive profits from the medication that they “sell” to their patients are nothing but legal dope dealers. Often times a doctor will scare someone into thinking they need medication, and because the patient or the animal owner knows no different will blindly comply and because they signed something they are often bond to do whatever DR. QUACK will say and do. The reason that there is such high malpractice insurance rates is because of the quackery of so many “doctors” that are not commited to being the doctors of 50 years ago.
There are some absolutely wonderful vets and people doctors that still take a refreshing commitment to helping others, and take pleasure in seeing others helped and healed, these are the true saints, the true people with good spirits. Anybody like this that truly wants to help just for the sole purpose of helping, whether it be a health care person, policeman, fireman, whatever, are that people that others should refer to and go to for help. There are a lot of vets and people doctors that do just fine by being honest and charging what is necessary to live a comfortable finanicial life, not rich money terms, but rich spiritually. What a sad story to this poor creature that has no voice to speak. The real protection comes from insight of knowing who is a good vet or good people doctor, beware of what you sign.
If it is not possible to get a site or reference source of the bad doctors or bad vets, maybe someone out there can form a web site or something that people can refer to in each of the 50 states that shows the highly well thought of doctors or vets that still have the oath to help and heal others and do no harm.
September 16th, 2007 at 12:27 am
Robert, I understand your points having spoken with the vet, but have you spoken with Mr. Gomez to hear his side?
I would think twice about someone who calls his client a ‘twit’ publicly, as Dr. Innocent did.
And yes, I believe that Mr. Gomez signed a ‘contract’ that he would pay the bill but his point of view is that he was told the amount would be $1,125, which he has paid, not a thousand dollars more than that.
After the story came out, the vet was inundated with calls and emails regarding this and needless to say, they were not very favorable. As a matter of fact during a phone interview with AJC on Friday, Dr. Innocent said if the bill is not paid, “He is going to be put to sleep.”
The manager at animal control said that if Pilot was tuned in to the shelter and if Gomez could prove ownership, the puppy would be returned to him.
Dr. Innocent’s answer to this is that he is going to give the puppy to one of his ’star clients.’
Innocent said scores of angry and, in some cases, threatening phone calls and e-mails sent to his clinic influenced his decision.
“We’re going to exercise another remedy provided in the law: adoption,” Innocent said.
I think there’s a lot more to this story, from both sides then we’re hearing and no doubt there is fault on both sides. There is only one innocent victim here and that’s the puppy, Pilot.
September 16th, 2007 at 12:38 am
I, too, think there’s something more to this story than we are aware of.
The dog came in with Parvo. That tells the vet that the owner isn’t doing a good job caring for him. Maybe the vet was hoping the owner couldn’t pay the bill so that someone else who as more responsible would adopt him.
Isn’t it ironic that this happened in the same county that Michael Vick lives in?
September 16th, 2007 at 1:26 am
I second the suggestion of having a credit card for situation like this. We had to take our dog to a pet emergency room one late night when his stitch would not heal after a visit to an incompetent vet (unbeknownst to us) at a VERY popular pet hospital located in a VERY well-known pets’ mart (word of caution: void this place like plagues!) in southern CA. At the emergency hospital, the vet and his nursing staff were wonderfully caring and understanding. Our doggie was well-taken care of. We had to use our credit card to pay for the treatment. It was worth it because our doggie’s health is important.
September 16th, 2007 at 6:42 am
Robert Davis said:
“What Mr. Gomez has done (if you want to make a comparison) is eat at a fine dining restaurant….enjoyed the service, but then decides he really doesn’t want to pay the full bill. ”
Since when is emergency medical care comparable to dining out? Your comparison is absurd. Here’s a better one. You take your child to the Doctor and can’t pay the bill so he’s allowed to keep the child and put it up for adoption. Oh, and you’re a twit because you allowed your child to be sick for 8 hours before going to the Dr. and you’re a bad parent ’cause he wasn’t up to date on his flu shots.
September 16th, 2007 at 6:56 am
With all due respect, Robert, that vet would be run out of our area. NO vet can work around here without taking “credit” as most of them are farm vets and large animals mean large vet bills. I spoke with our two local vets and each one of them has had a similar case or cases as the vet in GA. Both of them worked out payment plans, the dog and/or cat went home, and every one was happy.
A puppy with parvo is not necessarily the cause of the current owner. Around here, parvo is quite endemic and a lot of litters are spawned where all the puppies have it. By the time they are given away (a short time after the immunity conferred by the mother and nursing wears off), they are usually a few days away from symptoms showing and that is NOT the fault of the owner, but of the back yard breeder or stupid jerk who won’t spay or neuter the animal.
I don’t blame Mr. Gomez for his dog having parvo. Our vets see it all the time in young dogs since most of the puppies produced in the country are the product of stupidity.
Perhaps the vet should have gotten a credit report first… it sounds like that is all he is interested in.
September 16th, 2007 at 7:26 am
I work at a very large hospital in a very large city. While we tell people we do not to payments, in cases of emergencies we make excpetions, we also offer care credit ( which is very hard to get we find unless a client makes alot of $$)
Also Parvo has in incubation time of 14 days, and vaccines are not 100%. Also if the immune system is already taxed vaccines can cause the disease not prevent it.
Waiting 8 hours from the first sign of sickness is not abuse. We tell clients in some cases to watch the dog for 24 hours. If he was a “jerK” of a client he would have waited 3 or more days before coming in or just let the dog die. Also he paid over a grand at first, this is not a small amount. Also that amount is high, Parvo treatment ( a virus, no cure, supportive care only) is fluids and antidiarrheals and anti vomiting meds, these do not cost that much.
I hope the vet loses many clients over this this is one vet in it for money alone and cares nothing about the animals.
September 16th, 2007 at 7:37 am
The law in Georgia and this vet just reiterates what I have said on here a hundred times. People in the South are ignorant, backward, and unable to properly care for pets. And I’m not talking about the owner but the vet and the lawmakers. If this dog is euthanized I hope it makes National news and that the vet never works again.
September 16th, 2007 at 8:25 am
the guy should pay his bill………how many of you would do your job and be ok with not getting paid for it?
September 16th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Here we go again with the ‘people in the south’ business. Do you spend your days looking for things to justify your bigotry, Sharon? I am in the south and I take perfectly good care of my pets, thankyew, and I am hardly ‘ignorant and backward.’ The owner indicated his willingness to care for his pup, he did pay the [very large] amount he was told it would cost; the vet should have gotten permission before racking up any more charges, let alone charges of that magnitude. I suspect he has a history of doing this, and face it, there are vets who seem to care more about maximizing their income than anything else. From the vet’s surly response to the phone calls and emails he’s been getting, I think it is obvious he has an attitude problem anyway. If the dog was sent to the pound, the vet would not be getting the rest of his money either, would he? This action is just punitive and unnecessary. He could privately work out a payment plan with the owner and get his fees, eventually. He does bear some of the responsibility for them, for having so grossly gone over the agreed-on amount. I have to wonder, with the short fuse he seems to have, how well he treats an especially trying animal patient, behind closed doors. I would never take a pet to this man.
September 16th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Sharon, take your bigotry against people in the south elsewhere, it’s getting tiresome. You can find similarly stupid laws in every state in the country. I am in the south, I take very good care of my pets, and I really resent your calling me ‘ignorant and backwards.’ Do you spend your days looking for things to justify your prejudices? This man indicated his willingness to properly care for his pet by paying the very large initial bill, the bill that was agreed on. For the vet to add on charges that large without getting approval from the man first, is more like the moving companies that tell you what their bill is, and then when they have all your goods they quote a far higher price, which you must pay before they’ll give you your stuff back. It’s unethical, possibly illegal. If the pup goes to the pound the vet will not get his money back anyway, will he? This action is just punitive and petty. From his response to the emails and phone calls he’s been getting, I think this vet has an attitude problem anyway, and I would seriously wonder how he deals with especially difficult patients of his behind closed doors. I’d never take a pet to this man.
September 16th, 2007 at 11:02 am
There is an interesting double standard among medical professionals in this country today.
If a Doctor making $500 an hour took his car to a garage, he would insist on a firm estimate, based on a firm diagnosis of the problem, with the services to be performed itemized, and expect the car to be fixed to perfection on return.
On the other hand, if a mechanic making $20 an hour goes to a doctor, the doctor expects the mechanic to sign a blank check for services, expects to be paid regardless of being able to diagnose the problem or not, no details on the services to be performed will be included, and the doctor will expect to be paid outrageous fees even if the problem isn’t fixed.
Once upon a time in this country, members of the medical profession were dedicated to helping those who were ill. They cared about their patients. These days, members of the medical profession treat their patients like prey, and only care about money.
The interesting thing is that when the attitudes of medical professionals changed, so did the attitudes of their patients about paying them.
When medical professionals begin forming powerful lobbying organizations to induce law makers into legalizing extortion, perhaps law makers should more closely examine why these groups feel extortion should be legalized in the first place.
September 16th, 2007 at 11:32 am
There’s just so much missing from this story. For one thing, I can’t tell if the owner is absolutely refusing to pay the amount over the estimate, or if the owner is willing to pay in installments and the vet is absolutely refusing that option. If the former, the owner is at fault. If the latter, the onus is on the vet.
As far as estimates go–the word is ESTIMATE. It’s not the absolute price. I’ve been given estimates by the vet and have ended up paying less or more, depending on what actually needed to be done.
Did the vet and this owner have a prior relationship? My experience is that a vet is likely to be a lot more lenient and understanding with a longtime client who’s shown a history of making good on payments than with someone who’s shown up for the first time, or who has had previous bill-paying problems.
I see nothing in the story that says the vet was threatening to euthanize the dog, only that he might turn it over to a shelter, where the dog MIGHT be euthanized.
I’m really sorry for the poor dog being held hostage, and I tend to think that the vet would be better off just giving the owner his dog and THEN trying to get payment from him afterward–from a public relations standpoint if nothing else. But I’m not ready to crucify the vet in this case based on the incomplete information.
September 16th, 2007 at 11:56 am
The comparison of a garage mechanic with a vet is terribly flawed. When a mechanic, after giving an estimate, finds something unexpected, he has the luxury of being able to call the car owner, wait for approval, and get a go-ahead or not for additional work. Do you expect a vet to withhold treatment that might go beyond an estimate until he can track down the owner and get specific approval? And suppose the animal suffers and dies in the meantime?
There’s a discrepancy in the story about what the initial estimate was–the owner says $1125 and the vet says $1400. Isn’t there paperwork that would show the estimated amount? Didn’t the owner have to sign the estimate? Isn’t there an itemized bill showing how the costs got to $1640?
Again, way too much is unknown here.
September 16th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
What’s really telling to me is the fact the vet continues to charge the owner for kenneling the dog.
Hey genius, if you weren’t refusing to return the dog those charges wouldn’t keep accruing. To me, that says that this vet has no interest in settling the situation, he just wants to punish the owner. That’s just extortion. Sounds like this vet learned his billing practices from the PayDay Loan folks.
September 16th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
To Robert Davis:
Sorry but “Dr. Innocent” lost any chance of support from me when he stooped to name calling. Additionally, any ethical, reputable vet, especially one who (even ‘innocently’ perhaps) under-estimated a bill in the first place, should put the owner on a payment plan. I don’t give a damn what the Georgia law says, a reputable vet, in the interests of the animal, would have sought ways around the law. I emailed “Dr. Innocent” letting him know pretty much what I’ve just told you.
September 16th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Robert Davis - I’ve enjoyed your level headedness and courtesy - but when you decide you know exactly what makes a good pet parent you have decided on a standard of perfection. Perhaps poorer people should not be allowed to have pets according to this standard of yours (though I’d like to see even more pets among disadvantaged youth, personally), but then what about people who disagree, for instance, on the amount of vaccinations that are appropriate? Are you simply always right? People like you make the world a scary place.
The Itchmo posters have already stated what’s wrong with this situation better than I can.
September 16th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
The right thing for the vet to do under these circumstances — given the fact that the owner has already paid him in excess of $1,000 for treating the dog — is to release the dog to the owner, and negotiate with the owner with respect to unpaid portions of the bill. If the vet did not tell the owner about these charges, then he should compromise with the owner on the upaid balance, and bill him for the remainder.
As for “ESTIMATES” being estimates, it is very unusual for an “ESTIMATE” to be off by nearly 100%, Ellie. If the difference were plus or minus 30% or less, I would agree with your point of view about the owner needing to be prepared to pay more than the quoted price. But if the vet saw that treatment was going to DOUBLE the bill from $1,000 to $2,000 — that is about 4% of the average annual household income in the US — up from 2%. This is a significant difference and the vet had an obligation — ethically if not legally — to give the owner a REVISED estimate. The vet must accept some of the responsibility in this case becase his estimate was SOOOOO BAD!!!
In any case, he should not be HOLDING a pet hostage — endangering its life by threatening to turn it over to a shelter. There is no excuse for that.
I suspect this happens in Georgia PRECISELY because there is a law that REWARDS and ENCOURAGES this behavior by vets.
The Georgia law needs to be challenged and changed. This only gives INCENTIVE to veterinarians to pull this bait and switch HOSTAGE/EXTORTION stuff, like what they are doing to this man.
It’s a RACKET and they get away with it because of this law. They know they can threaten to keep, even kill, the pet, because of the law, so it provides a TOTAL incentive to give false low estimates, jack up the price, and then issue their hostage demands.
I call upon this man’s neighbors in Georgia to hold a very embarrassing public protest outside of the animal hospital, with HUGE signs telling the public what this man is doing.
WHILE they are out there, let them take up collection for this dog to free him.
Mr. Gomez might want to contact the wonderful charity, IMOM (www.imom.org) to see if they are willing to open up an emergency fund to collect enough money to pay this vet his ransom. He’s got to get the dog out.
THEN he needs to take the vet to court and report him to the board.
The lessons we pet owners can learn from this:
1. Get all estimates in writing.
2. In Georgia, get explicit agreements IN WRITING with your vets office about what happens if the estimate is off by 10%, 30%, 50%, or heaven forbid, %100 percent like this case.
Because in Georgia, vets have a law that financially rewards them for taking hostages.
Mr. Gomez, I am on your side, but when it comes to your dog, my advice is — come up with the blood money to pay this unethical vet his ransom fees. THEN deal with him afterwards. You can take action after your pet is home safe in your arms.
Stefani
The Toonces Project
http://www.TheTooncesProject.com
“Is Your Pet Safe at the Vet?”
September 16th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
A good parent takes care of their child - when vaccines are due, using flea prevention as well as heartworm prevention. These are best practices for anyone to follow. If you don’t like my advice then don’t follow it. But I wouldn’t call anyone a good pet parent if all they try to do is get by with a $10 a month bag of food and think that is good parenting. Dogs and Cats require medical attention and if people choose not to spend money on their care, but can spend it on other things like games, movies, dining out - well then I think that speaks volumes on where their priorities are.
Regards!
Robert
September 16th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Robert —
While I agree with your overall sentiment that people need to be comitted to their pets care, you do not know that this man falls into the category of just buying a $10 bag of food a month and thinking that’s adequate.
According to this article, he has already paid this veterinarian over $1,000. This veterinarian’s estimate was off by nearly 100% according to this article. This man was prepared to pay $1,000, not $2,000. Given that, this vet should work with the man.
And while we are making analogies between child parenting and pet parenting, please stop to consider this:
1. Most of us have health insurance for our children. If it was this man’s child - not his dog — he wouldn’t be facing this crisis, because he woudl likely have insurance coverage for everything but his copay. (And if he didn’t there would be programs to help him.) Very few parents end up paying $2,000 out of pocket for one health incident with their chidren.
2. If this was a child — NOT a dog — how would you feel about the hospital saying:
“I am sorry Mr. Gomez, but since you have an unpaid balance here at “No Mercy” Hospital for Children, you can’t have your child back. If you do not pay the balance in 10 days, your child will become a ward of the state. If the state doesn’t find a foster parent for your child, your child will then be killed.” Would you be similarly taking up for the business then?
So, while we are drawing “parenting” analogies, please consider those things.
I believe that veterinarians should be paid, and paid well, for what they do. I spent $16,000 over two years on my most beloved cat, who had been rendered BRAIN DAMAGED by his former vet’s son, who gave him an insulin overdose.
Particularly given my experiences, I am always BEYOND grateful for good veterinary care. I never squawk at a vet bill even when it hurts. But I am lucky that so far, I’ve managed to scrape up or borrow enough to cover whatever they have charged me.
Not everyone is that lucky.
In this case, the vet should be willing to bill the owner the balance rather than relinquish the dog to a shelter where he may end up dead.
As your analogy implies, this is not a piece of property, its more like a child.
Stefani
The Toonces Project
http://www.TheTooncesProject.com
“Is Your Pet Safe at the Vet?”
September 16th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
” . . . when vaccines are due, using flea prevention as well as heartworm prevention. These are best practices for anyone to follow.”
in your world maybe, but not in mine. i don’t believe in poisoning my pets with preventive. or vaccines for that matter. none of my pets are on preventive and we have NEVER had a problem with fleas, ticks or heart worm. and that’s over 30yrs of living with pets (post parents ;) )
my cats and dog have all had the basic kitten/puppy shots, but that’s because they came from a shelter and i had no control. but that is all they get. they are raw fed and treated by a holistic/traditional vet.
so, don’t go layin’ out YOUR rules for basic pat care for all. it’s an individual choice. my choices are subject to change depending on where i live and my particular pets at the time. but i doubt i’ll ever give them a monthly dose of pesticide . . .
in my world, you could be considered a bad owner if you use commercial food, vaccinate, use preventive and clean with chemicals in the home ;)
September 16th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
How embarrassing!
My bad — I see that I was wrong about the estimate being off by 100% — I missed the part about hte boarding fees adding up and just did the math on the balance vs. the estimate.
But still - the man has paid most of the bill. This shows good faith and intent to pay — I cannot see why he can’t bill the owner the balance, particularly since the charges were in excess of the estimate.
Stefani
September 16th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
A written estimate and a written payment policy given to the owner, read and agreed to a signed is how a professonal would manage their practice to avoid such problems. How to handle such situations and advice is regularly given in veterinary practice magazines. Just because this mans puppy got sick does not mean he is a poor animal caretaker. He paid a huge junk of money to this vet who no doubt is gouge him on everything. He is charging $27/night to board the dog seems like just a way to add on expenses. I worked for a vet in a rural area of NC and we had a lot of people who couldn’t afford huge vet bills like that. The doctors were always clear about costs involved and if a case looked like treatment would take longer or be more intense the certainly imform/consulted the owner before proceeding above what was agreed upon. The vet would also take a series of check to be held and deposited on a certain dated (not post dated but kept seperate and with notes attached as to when to be deposited). I also had heard stories about an older vet in town that would hold the title to someones car, or take a tv or stereo or other items of value. There are ways to work with people and still run a business!
September 16th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
I agree that Pilot is the one suffering in the middle of all this. I’ve not been able to speak with Mr. Gomez. I’ve relied on the report from the AJC story. What the Doctor stated was Mr. Gomez hasn’t called them since August 29th. If this is the case, as the Dr. has claimed, then I would not call that person a good pet parent/owner. Yes, Mr. Gomez obviously wanted to pay, but did not pay the entire bill. An estimate, from my experience, is an estimate.
The Vet’s I’ve used have always called me ahead of time before treatment in case it goes over a certain amount - unless I have told them to do whatever is necessary to save my dogs life. Because the boarding charges keep adding up is why the amount keeps increasing everyday (the unpaid balance). I don’t think that is very fair, but then again, I’m not the one running that hospital, feeding and walking Pilot, which costs money.
I remember when my Little dog Louis bit one of the vet techs because the vet tech got in his face, I had to quarantine him 10 days at $20 a day. It was an expense I had to pay before I could get him back. I realize this is not the same scenario, but vet bills that go unpaid come back to you and me as higher costs due to write-offs. So I do not believe it is fair to every other person who pays the bills and one who doesn’t. I do think by reading the story from the AJC, that Mr. Gomez has probably done all he can to get assistance and now the public can hopefully help him raise the money to get Pilot back. I’m all for charity…just not making a vet sound like a bad person when all the vet has asked is for the bill to be paid. Of course the Doctor could use different language, but we don’t know how many conversations he had with Mr. Gomez and he could have been frustrated - I think we all have had those moments.
Yes, Mr. Gomez has already taken loans and used credit cards to pay most of the bill, but he knew ahead of time there was no payment plans. Again - personal responsibility. And PetFIRST 24 was not the only vet around.
My reference to a $10 bag of dog food was not a reference to Mr. Gomez because I have no clue what he feeds his dog. I used that as an example of some pet owners that think that is all a dog needs and don’t follow through with medical care.
To straybaby: I’ve seen firsthand what happens when dogs get heartworms - it is not a pretty site and completely preventable. My neighbors dog was not on prevention and he had heartworms….he died in the backyard….blood coming out of him…it was horrible and preventable. They are bad pet parents in my view. You don’t have to agree.
I do realize there are some pets that do not do well on vaccines and there are exceptions to every rule. But I wouldn’t discount a vaccine as dangerous just because it is a chemical. Science has helped save plenty of lives and I for one am glad for pills like Capstar that kills fleas for 24 hours if an outbreak of fleas occurs.
I had to use capstars on my cats because I tried the no chemicals in the yard or on the pets and tried some non-chemical solution. Well it didn’t work and one of my cats that had a skin disorder ended up dying because of the fleas. I was gone for a weekend and when I got home I saw the fleas had attacked her pretty bad…she had to have blood transfusions and even after using Capstar and flea dips she didn’t make it. So for me - I’ve seen what happens when prevention measures are not followed and believing the non-chemical way is always best. Thankfully the capstars helped the other cats and my dogs.
Today the dogs use Sentinel which kills and prevents fleas and prevents heartworms and other worms. I don’t have to use flea prevention on the cats since they do not go outside where I live now, I keep the floors clean and what I give the dogs keeps the fleas away from the cats…but I keep a watch out just in case and have capstars here just in case.
And lastly, back to the science, there are many pills out there that cause harm to some people (called reactions), but the majority of us should not be kept from using them if they help us out. Aspirin, for example, is not good for people with ulcers and some are allergic to it. However, for all its negatives, Aspirin does some pretty darn good things for people, to include keeping the blood thin which has been shown to help out during a heart attack.
I do agree that if it was me running the business I might make different choices w/regard to payment plans. But it is not my business.
Regards,
Robert
September 16th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
“To straybaby: I’ve seen firsthand what happens when dogs get heartworms - it is not a pretty site and completely preventable. My neighbors dog was not on prevention and he had heartworms….he died in the backyard….blood coming out of him…it was horrible and preventable. They are bad pet parents in my view. You don’t have to agree.”
well the obvious answer to that is you test for heart worms and don’t let it get to that state. heart worms are like fleas. be vigilant and treat when necessary. read up on heart worm cycles. you do not need to give the preventive monthly if you chose to give it. if you test and catch it early, simple fix. i’d rather not subject my pets to pesticide/poison monthly when there are safe alternatives, which actually take a bit more care and attention.
as far as fleas go, have you tried DE and other natural preventives? and have you seen what a better diet does to control fleas? dipping a weakened animal is a scary prospect. and a weekend shouldn’t cause that severe of a problem. although, i noticed you say you don’t let them out anymore . . . . . WTF were you letting them out if your flea problem was that bad?! My indoor cats do NOT need flea preventive even though i have a dog that goes out and rolls around (and is not on preventive). and we do have our share around here. my condolences on losing your kitty. that must have been hard, and my comments/thoughts are in no way meant to minimize the loss or to put any blame towards you. please know that.
September 16th, 2007 at 11:46 pm
Stefani, yes some of the charges are for boarding. But that was the vet’s decision to keep the dog, rather than arranging reasonable repayment. Gomez claims the original estimate was what he paid. The vet says it was going to be “at least $1,400″. Last time I looked today, it was over $2,200. Granted, this situation has been allowed to deteriorate into a mess. I doubt that would have happened if this experienced professional had done a better job of working things out with an anguished customer.
We can assume that Mr. Gomez didn’t anticipate parvo. It’s endemic, and there are plenty of pet parents who also don’t anticipate it, but it happens. We can probably assume that Mr. Gomez was as overwhelmed by his puppy’s illness as we all would be, and he took him to this particular emergency clinic without spending time checking out less expensive alternatives. We can also assume that, since he doesn’t make much money, balancing an onerous financial burden vs. letting his puppy die has made his life hell. (Why he would go to a lawyer is beyond me unless it’s pro-bono.)
On the other end, we have an experienced veterinarian whose estimates are questionable and the bill is now substantially higher than the customer anticipated. After all, you can never tell with parvo. But he worsens the situation by holding the dog hostage - at a charge to the customer. This man, who is out “to save lives”, decides that his customer is a twit and subtly suggests that the dog could be PTS. What empathy.
I am not a fan of returning an animal to a situation of abuse (which this does not appear to be), but it’s clear that Mr. Gomez went to some lengths to save his dog, and paid a substantial amount to this vet in good faith. Who is this doctor to play God and decide that he will give the dog away to one of his “star clients”, after his ploy of sending the pup to a shelter didn’t sit well with the public?
I’m really not sorry to hear that all the emails and phone calls are affecting his business. I’m not saying he shouldn’t receive reasonable compensation for his work (for the medical procedures, not the boarding nonsense), and if he is smart enough to understand goodwill and public opinion, he will cut the carp and work out a fair settlement with Mr. Gomez.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:50 am
I’m siding with the pet owner. I don’t care what the “policy” is, a payment plan could be worked out.
I had a dog that contracted parvo. She had had one of the series of shots but was exposed prior to the completion of the series. It is expensive to deal with.
Not everyone has a credit card as some of you have mentioned. I don’t. I had to declare bankruptcy after my husband died from cancer and I was left with over $30k in medical bills. I work hard and pay my bills as I can and know that there are many, many people in this country who do the same. Some posters here seem to think this pet owner has options that he may not have. Living paycheck to paycheck severely limits what you can do.
Do we have to live in a world where money is more important than a life?
September 17th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Hi Straybaby…I don’t take the comments in a negative way. Most of my cats were rescues…indoor/outdoor and I had used triazizide in the yard (from Lowes) and that always kept the fleas away….. but I tried some nemitodes in the yard without using any other chemical and the fleas that laid eggs over winter hatched…..and it was bad….If I used the chemicals like I normally did then i don’t believe I would have had the problem. In the end, I used chemicals to get rid of them. But I do understand why some do not want to use chemicals, whether for allergies or just prevention to chemical exposure…which would be the same reason I don’t use food with chemical preservatives…. :-)
Regards,
Robert
September 17th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Lynne - you make the best point - Do we have to live in a world where money is more important than a life? I guess it all starts with one person at a time and supporting those who put life before profit :-)
Regards,
Robert
September 17th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Just curious. What treatment is involved for parvo that would cost $700 per day for 3 days?
Are there super expensive medications involved?
Is labor intensive therapy involved?
Or did the doc just give the pup a cheap shot twice a day and put some food and water in its cage?
I agree with those who say people should pay their bills. The part I find amazing is how few people say they believe they should receive a fair value for what they are charged.
In the mean time, if a vet kills a pet through malpractice, the vet will have an army of attorneys insisting the pet is only worth $50 because that’s what the local shelter charges.
September 17th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Don - great point about the malpractice and worth of the pet…..
I have one friend who lived in Lilburn, GA that has over $1,400 in medical bills for a German Shepherd that had Parvo….. this was back in the mid-90’s…..I’m not sure what is involved in the treatment though….[edit] I found this link… http://www.veterinarypartner.c.....p;SourceID
It would be interesting to know.
Robert
September 17th, 2007 at 11:13 am
IV, sub-Q, antibiotics, blood transfusions if necessary, to prevent dehydration and loss of proteins, regulate electrolytes, and control body temperature.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
September 17th, 2007 at 11:15 am
I feel very fortunate to have lived in small towns in the past where the emergency care was through your regular vet. It’s been a shock to move and find that emergency care must be paid for up front. We’ve been able to pay the emergency vet bills (2 cancer surgeries, plus some unexplained seizures) and actually our emergency vet is so phenomenal we use her first when we can, but in the past it would have been difficult.
I wonder if vets could put a can out asking for extra from those who could afford it - I would drop 5 or 10 bucks into a fund for others. I guess that would maybe be just silly - and I suppose it would get taken advantage of.
Ah well - life just saddens me sometimes.
I am very sorry I let my earlier comment turn personal. No excuse.
September 17th, 2007 at 11:22 am
I still haven’t seen anything indicating whether the owner would be willing to pay the bill under a payment plan.
Is he absolutely refusing to pay another cent over the amount he already paid? Or is he simply asking for extra time?
I can’t believe this is not addressed in the newspaper reportage. It seems to be the key point.
September 17th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Hi Deej,
No problem on the comments - just shows we all care about little Pilot. And as the story evolves we learn more. It is good to share - I learn each time how to improve how I come across…because quite frankly you are right - I do sound like a know it all sometimes :-) I try not to….and my way is not always the best :-)
Regards,
Robert
September 17th, 2007 at 11:32 am
Let’s face it, far too many reporters nowadays seem to be ignorant on how to REALLY report [i.e., get ALL the facts and follow up]. I’m reading more and more articles these days where pertinent facts go missing and [horror of horrors!] no one has done a REAL spell check.
What’s the old saying? “Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.”
September 17th, 2007 at 11:36 am
I still thnk we’re not privy to all the facts regarding this matter. The point regarding whether or not the owner pushed for a payment plan is a valid question.
September 17th, 2007 at 11:55 am
This really scares me. What if my dog eats something that gets caught in her stomach and has to have emergency surgery? That kind of surgery is expensive! Some friends of mine paid $3000 for it. I can’t pay that. So will my vet keep my dog if I can’t pay for this?
I ask this because at every vets office I have ever been in there is always at little sign at the counter that reads, “Payment in full required at time of service”.
September 17th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Bridgett, you may want to look into pet insurance as well as Care Credit as options if you know that coming up with that kind of cash will be difficult. Check around the Itchmo forums to read about other peoples’ experiences. That’s how I found out about Pet Card (Medi Card).
September 17th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Shibadiva,
Thanks I will check into that!
September 17th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Hi Bridgett,
Depending on how old your pet is, the rates for insurance can be reasonable and locked in for up to 8 years. I got Pet First Insurance. I have a link on my website (click my name). The insurance coverage is very good. You will certainly want to have a credit card or money saved up to pay the bill, but you will be reimbursed a good part of or most of the work done. For my Shiba-Inu, it is around $35 a month. Well worth it!
Pet Insurance is different that human insurance in that you have to send in the forms and get reimbursed. For now, if you are worried about your dog swallowing something make sure no socks or toys or anything that could be swallowed is left around the floor or on tables. You may also want to use a child gate to keep your dog in one area of the house so you can keep an eye on her.
One thing you might try to do is put a small amount of your monthly income into a savings account that you will not touch. This way it can be used for emergencies for the vet :-) $3,000 may seem like a lot not to save up….but overtime you will have it saved and be very happy you started an emergency savings plan.
I think most people on here have found vets that will offer payment plans….obtain a good relationship with your vet and talk about those kind of worries with your doctor and ask him or her if this type of thing happens, will they let you do a payment plan or what options will they allow. Explain what you have done to prep for these just in case to show that you are thinking ahead and are a client in who is willing to pay, but large bills like that can have a negative impact on you.
Just a few ideas thrown out there. I hope they help.
Robert
September 17th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Robert, I’d like to second your idea of putting away money earmarked for vet expenses. I don’t have pet insurance, but I’ve been doing exactly that for years–$10 a week–and now I have I nice cushion for vet emergencies. I started just putting the money in a piggy bank, then opened a savings account. No matter how small the amount, as long as you make yourself put the money away regularly, it really starts to add up.
I’d also like to second your comments about having a good relationship with your vet. That’s really the most important thing of all.
September 18th, 2007 at 7:58 am
Most Vets in my area are extremely expensive. If you check prices for a well human visit to a doctor versus a well pet check-up, the Vet is the most expensive bill.
This is just outrageous, I would hope the Vet. would reconsider the stand he/she has taken. I would think that the dog’s person would have a court case. How can a Vet, who is trained to help and save animals do something so inhumane? Where is your conscience.
If an agreed amount was set then it’s PAID IN FULL, however, if there is truly a balance, work payments up.
September 18th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Wonder what happened. Today is Tuesday and Pilot’s 10 days are up. Is he adopted by a star client? Is Gomez still being charged for boarding?
September 18th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Pilot is home with Mr. Gomez. I spoke with Arthur at PetFirst24 and he said Mr. Gomez came in and paid the balance.
Robert
September 18th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Thanks for that research, Robert. It’s too bad the whole affair had to go on for so long. I hope Josh gets all the puppy shots for Pilot, and a credit card or something. And I still think the vet needs to look at himself in the mirror.
September 18th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Shibadiva - I agree :-) It’s def. a wake up to all of us to make sure we are prepared for the worst. I feel like I’ve been through a week of disaster preparedness ads from ready.gov :-)
September 18th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
The Kindess of Strangers
Mr. Gomez was reunited with his dog Pilot today after a stranger, Carol Diamantis of Brookhaven (a few miles from Duluth) decided to pay the remaining balance.
Carol has shown us all how strangers helping strangers is the greatest example of the human spirit. She didn’t know Mr. Gomez, but said she sure hoped someone would help her if she was found to be in the same position one day.
Thank you Carol for your example to us all. Today she showed us how to walk in someone else’s shoes.
September 19th, 2007 at 7:58 am
A wonderful resolution to the story. Good for Ms. Diamantis for coming forward and making the sun shine just a little brighter.
September 19th, 2007 at 8:01 am
[…] week, we brought you the story of Josh Gomez and his dog, Pilot. Gomez had an unpaid bill at his veterinarian’s office and his dog was being “held […]
September 19th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Threatening to have the dog euthanized or given away to someone else, when the owner was clearly making every effort to pay…horrible. Vile. Sickening. What goes around comes around, so I wonder what bill “Dr. Innocent” (a name that doesn’t fit) won’t be able to pay. Scum. Nothing but scum.
August 27th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Can anybody help me?
I am in the exact same situation with my dog, Billy (chihuahua). I am very desperate and don’t know what to do. My dog got hit by a car so I took him to the emergency room where the doctor told me the diagnostic was hernia and they had to perform emergency surgery on him otherwise he would die. I paid $800 before the surgery and agreed to pay the remaining balance of $1700 after. They did the surgery and my dog is fine but they won’t release him to me unless I pay the full amount I owe to them. I asked the doctor if I can make payments but she didnt accept. I cant afford to pay this amount in such a short period of time and they want to put him in a shelter. The doctor told me she’s only gonna hold him for a couple more days and I am afraid they’re gonna put him to sleep at the shelter. Can anybody help me in any way? I LOVE my dog very much and I would do anything to save him. Thank you.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Now I too am in a similar situation. My dog which is half poodle and half chinese crested was attacked by a border collie. Had 15 or 16 puncture wounds to the neck with 3 holes in her trachea.
I rushed her to the vet where they treated her and told me that I could come get her late in the afternoon after they had some time to make sure she was stable and had stopped all the bleeding. I went back at the prescribed hour and was presented with a bill for nearly $600 treatment. I have no problem with the amount of the bill considering the condition of the dog I think it is completely fair, however I am on a fixed income and can’t afford that much at one time. I paid the vet $150 and wrote checks for the balance that were to be deposited on the 3′rd of each month in the amount of $200 each. The vet office accepted these checks but then the doctor came in and made the comment that he can’t wait that long for the money and he should just take her medicine back and they had decided to just “keep her over night”. I am afraid by his comments and actions that he is going to hold my dog hostage. I have no problem with paying the bill in a timely manner according to what I can afford and $200 a month stretches me to the limits. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do now.. I tried to get a loan for the balance today but was refused because of my income. Anything that might be helpful would be appreciated
November 12th, 2009 at 11:12 am
As I read many of your stories, my brother and I have found ourselves in the same situation. 3 weeks ago, our 11+ yr old cat Spanky had fallen ill. It was rather late at night when started getting worse, and so my brothers’ girlfriend took spanky to a 24 hour vet. where they initially found he had chronic kidney failure. the vet gave her a quote of between $500-600. However, upon hearing this, i did some research on this disease. I asked key questions, and was not told that it ws chronic, but acute kidney failure. There is a big differene between what was told to my brother, and what was told to me. One means that death is soon, the other means that Spanky the cat will live, but will likely have to be given medication and have a restricted diet for some time. This particular vet also told me a different quote of around $750. Since my brother is the primary care-taker of spanky, the vet has gone as far as calling his girlfriend at work to try and collect money for the bill, but didn’t tell her the exact amount. They are not willing to work with them on a payement plan. Nor are they willing to let spanky go home, all the while charging an additional $12 a day for boarding. My brother wants to pay this bill down, we want our cat back; however, it’s especially hard to do so because finances are tight, he’s been turned down for all the loans he’s applied for, and every 8 days spankys’ at the vet, the bill goes up $100. Last night I called the vet to get the total bill amount, and was given yet another price. This time it was $587. I don’t know about you guys, but something just isn’t right about the constant price change. When I asked what will happen to the cat if the bill wasn’t paid, the receptionist told me they may keep him at the vet to live out the rest of his days, or they may send him to the humane society. At this point in time, we are both at the ends of our rope as to what to do. If ANYONE has any advice as to what avenue we should take, please email me with your advice.