Banfield Vet Clinic

[Katie and Twinkie!]

Has anyone had any experience w/ Banfield? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Yes...Most of us in rescue have had experience with Banfield...They are a veterinary chain....I believe they may even be set up as franchises....They have deals with certain food companies such as Purina and drug companies that produce medicines for animals to push particular products on their behalf,,,,Why?....Because companies like Purina offer scholarships for their veterinary students and sudsidize Banfield businesses........ Banfield would not be my vet of choice.....

[Tara aka Harry & Wally's Mom]

I use Banfield. They are great!! I have the puppy wellness plan. It is $30 a month and it includes all his first year of vaccinations and unlimited drs visits. The vets and nurses i deal with all are very knowledgeable and friendly.

[Eileen Ross and Cody]

I have used Banfield for my cat who has a thyroid condition and also for Cody, my Goldendoodle. I have the wellness plan for Cody and have not had to pay for vaccinations or neutering. My cat costs me a small fortune. I only use one vet there who I like alot. The staff is really nice to us. They never push any products on me. When I need a prescription I use 1800 petmeds as they are cheaper and Banfield faxes the script to them for me.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

I suppose that it depends on the location...(I'm trying to be kind)....They are also in bed with Petsmart BTW...Just curious what they are charging you for vaccines AFTER the first free year....... well not really free...It's $360 a year....You can have your dog completely vaccinated for $40 and some towns offer rabies for FREE.....Reputable pet insurance covers medications and up to 80% of the cost of emergency surgeries and costs $25 month......What does that $360 a year cover really?......Medicines?........How often does a healthy dog have to go to the vet?...Once a year?......My dog's yearly exam with stool and blood tests included costs $125.......I would bet that Banfield not only pushes 2 year rabies/distemper ( typically it's 3 years and some vets agree that up to 95 percent of dogs, retain immunity after vaccination for many more years after the administration of a vaccine) but also charges you up the wazoo for tests and meds ontop of your $360 a year.....

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/banfield.html

Julie of Houston, TX June 16, 2009
The reason for this letter is to explain the chain of events which resulted in the loss of my very best friend and companion, Coby, my eight year old kitty. My goal is to have assistance in an investigation of Bansfield/Pet Smart for possible animal malpractice by any or all media outlets, including any applicable pet rights groups. His sickness was a time sensitive one that I regrettably depended on Banfield/Pet Smart for help and answers. My cat suffered from pulmonary edema (fluid filled lungs) due to some unidentified condition of the heart which resulted in labored breathing, depression and anorexia. After doing my own research on the web I took Coby to Banfields 4 days after I had noticed the progressive changes in his breathing, at first I thought it was just me and I was being a paranoid mother.

The Doctor and Assistant at Banfields acted like he was breathing fine and it was his weight that was the culprit. I specifically asked about x-rays on his lungs, they suggested blood work and said they could find out more that way. Being in a position to do what ever it took to help him, I agreed, though I was surprised that’s how they wanted to move forward. I had the blood work done and waited by the phone to get the results, to my dismay; I received a follow up call from someone completely different that wanted to know how Cobys vomiting and diarrhea were doing. He never had these symptoms to begin with so obviously their means of health intake are scued and unreliable.

Finally I get some results from the Dr. stating that he had a urinary tract infection and special food, along with oral meds were necessary. I went directly there to pick up the supplies and paid 136.00 on top of the 322.00 I had just paid for the blood work and exam. Coby graciously took the pills and ate what food his body would permit the next two days.

Waiting to hear results from further testing at Banfields, I watched my precious little guy fade before my eyes. Not seeing time to wait any longer I franticly searched for near by veterinarians I could get him to in emergency. Luckily I found the best vet in Houston closest to me but it was too late at this point. The new Dr. checked his pulse tapped his side twice and wrapped him in a towel to rush him back to ICU, which is down the hall a few steps from the exam room. His words were, this cat is in critical condition, we NEED x-rays stat! I lost composure as he showed me the condition of Coby's lungs. 20% lung capacity at that point was all he had to his advantage. Unfortunately that was not enough to sustain life any longer. Coby passed away in the ICU at the new vet, which I will return to as long as I reside in Bellaire.

The point of all of this is to make pet owners aware that Banfield may be good enough to take your pet for grooming or getting their claws trimmed but NEVER EVER depend on their experts to save the life of a beloved pet. Don't let the time come that you urgently need to seek help for your pet, find a real good family doctor as if you were taking your children. I can not have babies so my pets are my family and I have learned a very hard lesson with the loss of my beautiful Coby.



http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/banfield.html#ixzz0KFPZlFQ2&D



William of Groesbeck, TX June 9, 2009
My dogs, Meg and Sadie, visited the Banfielf Clinic from July 2006 through Deember 2008. Meg suffered from cronic scratching and constance sheding and an occasional infection. I was told she had very sensitive skin and was very likely reacting to flea bits. I was advised to spray the yard for fleas, use a special medicated shampoo, and use a pescription flea repellant sold by the clinic. After saturating my yard with pesticides and regularly applying te flea medicatio an probably over washing my dog the condition persisted.

Both dogs were signed up for the Banfield Wellness Plan on January 15, 2008. After moving out of the area in Aptil of this year, I took Meg to a local vetinary clinic, where she was diagnoised as having a thyroid imbalance. The thought of the years of discomfort Meg has gone through because of poor medical attentionmisdinoago and becoming dissatisfied with their service and moving I decided to cancel the Banfield Plan.

When I called the home office to cancel the plan, I was told the plan could only be placed on a "Non- renewable" status until a 400.00 balance was paid. When I requested a written statement explaining the balance, I was told this was not possible. At this point, I advise anyone considering the Banfiel Wellness Plan to be very careul and do much research.

Hillary of Croton on Hudson, NY June 30, 2009
I signed my 13 week old Maltese puppy up for a wellness plan. I went for 1 visit, which included a shot and a fecal sample. I found them incompetent. The exam was largely done by a poorly trained assistant, the dog reacted to the shots, they lost the dogs previous vaccination records from the breeder.The assistant also recorded inaccurate information into the computer, when the doc came in he read the computer instead of examining the dog properly himself. I wanted to cancel the one year contract after this incompetence.

I have since taken my dog to a private Vet who is much better AND CHEAPER. Banfield claims that those services were 251.oo if ala carte. My vet charged 75 for a proper exam , by a DOCTOR, and shots. I was unable to cancel the contract so far. They make it impossible , on purpose, giving you the "CHOICE" of paying the trumped up "ala carte" charges for initial service, or paying the entire year contract, which is roughly the same- 25.91 monthly charged from your credit card for a year- whether you use them ever again or not ( I never did). They then tell you to file a written complaint , but no one knows how that would be done. It is just a time consuming run around.



http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/banfield.html#ixzz0KFOzdKA4&D

Josephine of Philadelphia, PA June 19, 2009
My cat became ill in May. Having a Wellness Plan with Banfield, I took her in for vet services. The vet could not identify what exactly was wrong with my cat. After prescribing anti-biotics and other medications, blood work and x-rays she was sent home without a diagnosis. Because my cat had been seen during the year, I had to pay for services costing me approximately 800. My cat continued to loose weight and not eat. After several weeks I had to have her put to sleep. I called Banfield corporate office to cancel my Wellness Plan, the representative told me I owed them 325.00 dollars because my Wellness Plan had renewed on the 12th of May, and my cat had received services therefore I am responsible for the difference between the discount fee and regular fee.

I explained that my cat was deceased, and did not understand why you would force pet owners to pay for deceased pets. She said she would send me the contract to prove that I agreed to the terms and conditions. At the time I signed the contract, I was approached in PetSmart and told about this great contract. I was told about the savings and nothing about if your pet die or you cancel the Wellness Plan they will hold you obligated to pay. Banfield is a true rip-off and I encourage everyone to use a regular vet, do not sign a contract with this company. There are some good vets, but the corporate office is there to steal your money and take advantage of pet owners. I would be happy to speak to an attorney or participate in a class action suit. Banfield is disceptive and dishonest.

Yvonne of Portland, OR June 17, 2009
They sold me a 300-350 Wellness plan for my dog. When I brought her in several months later (she'd swallowed a raw hide and couldn't pass it) I asked why I never got any reminder calls for her wellness services. I was told "You should be." Today I received a letter stating that her Wellness Plan was up for renewal and that it was time for her wellness exam, vaccinatins and fecal exam. The letter stated "These services are part of your Wellness Plan that have already been paid for -- so be sure to have your family call us and schedule a drop-off appointment at the earliest convenience." I called them TODAY (the day I received the letter) and was told my Wellness plan was up for renewal, and she could only receive services if I signed up for another plan. I asked to speak to the manager, they said she was busy and they'd leave a message.



http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/banfield.html#ixzz0KFQ43WB1&D

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

http://www.complaintsboard.com/?search=banfield

Banfield Hospital of Mckinney (complaint)
Posted: 2009-05-05 by Geraldine Bryant

Problem not solved, negilience
The vet is not worth being called a vet. It seems to me, all he wanted was to make as much as he could that turned out to be $148.00. The 4 month old puppy jumped down from some one's arms and sustained two fractures of the foot that we learned the next day from another Banfield hospital....


Banfield Animal Hospital (complaint)
Posted: 2009-05-09 by sbissell

Wellness Plan
Please understand that the Banfield Animal Hospital Pet Wellness plan is a very poor value. For what you spend in a year you can get better services from an independant Vet. Banfield uses the Wellness plan as a way to get you in for your limited free/included services and recommend many other...


Banfield Pet Hospital (complaint)
Posted: 2009-05-10 by Jimmy Barlas

RIP OFF
The Banfield Pet Hospital in Daytona Beach is nothing but a scam to get you cash.I took my dog there for an ear infection, it was on a sunday the only place open.They diagnosed him, prescribed medicationat a cost of $149.00.Yesterday when i went to take him outside i noticed his ear bleeding,...


Banfield Pet Hospital (complaint)
Posted: 2009-05-15 by rupie2maxie

Unnecessary Charge
I took my chihuahua puppy in to Banfield for an eye infection. They told me to leave him there for a couple of hours for antibiotic shots and to scrape his skin for a culture. No sooner did I get home, then they called and said he was ready to go. By the time I got there, ONE HOUR had elapsed...


Banfield (complaint)
Posted: 2009-05-18 by Maria Trippett

They killed my puppy
Please read about Banfield before you take your pet to them. I am not the only individual with a horrible story. I can relate to so much that has been posted on them. They are a scam and are all about making money. With that said, I wish I was writing about how they ripped me off (which they...


Banfield The Pet Hospital (complaint)
Posted: 2009-05-19 by Cheryl Cantillon

Unauthorized Charges
5-13-2009 I agreed to teeth cleaning services totalling $224.90 with an authorized range in writing of $230.15 to $287.68. Dr. Lerner called and said that he heard a heart murmur and that $500 to $600 in heart tests would be required before he would put my dog under general anesthesia. I declined...


Banfield Pet Hospital (complaint)
Posted: 2009-06-05 by Olivia

Should be permenantly put out of business
As of recently we have removed both of our dogs from Banfield's care based on suspicion of fraud/scams. We inherited a beautiful staffordshire terror named Sadie. She was three years old when we got her, but i knew her long before that. (She belonged to an ex-boyfriends family) Anyways,...

Banfield (complaint)
Posted: 2009-06-09 by Mel

Puppy Death
We just had a horrible experience with Banfield in Fredericksburg, VA. One of my customers took a pup they just purchased from me there for a routine vet check and shot. They wound up killing the puppy "or so they say"...they gave the puppy a shot of Benadryl IN CASE IT HAD A REACTION...


Banfield (complaint)
Posted: 2009-06-18 by Susan Mitchell

Ruptured my cat's eardrum
NEVER TAKE YOUR PET TO BANFIELD. Our cat was given an ear wash for what was prescribed to be an ear infection at the Banfield in Chandler, AZ. During the course of the ear wash treatment, which was VERY ROUGH (in fact, our cat jumped and hissed for the first time in 11 years when the tech pushed...


Banfield Pet Hospital - Signal Hill, CA (complaint)
Posted: 2009-06-25 by cookiemonster

Horrible Service - the worst!
This is the WORST vet EVER! It was a Sunday and my regular vet was closed. I made the difficult decision to have my beloved cat euthanized because she was suffering. I did not want her to have to go through another day of suffering. I went to Banfield because 1) they were open on Sunday and...



Banfield/Renton WA (complaint)
Posted: 2009-07-02 by No Banfield

Wait time & rude
My husband scheduled an appointment but ended up waiting for the vet for 40 minutes with no explanation or whatsoever given. We also had a coupon but forgot to take with us and they would not honor it. Overall, so unpleasant!!!...

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

THIS FROM A FORMER VET ECH WHO WORKED FOR BANFIELD

alonepear04-01-2007, 08:45 AM

I began accumulating hands-on veterinary experience as a tech at Banfield (they were the only ones hiring techs without previous experience -- good for me at the time, and good for them because I turned out to be competent, but risky for sure)

What it really boils down to is your doctor, and there are SO MANY Banfields, some with such high turnover, that I think I would prefer not to take my pet there if I didn't know the doctor well. I worked with two fabulous, wonderful, intelligent doctors there, one who I consider a mentor, and one awful, money-hungry, jerk of a doctor who only went to Banfield to make more money than other vets.

The people at my practice did a great job on the whole, but there were times when I felt like had we been a private clinic with more leeway for specialization, we could have helped more pets.

Also, the Wellness Plans they offer are also good and bad. You educate people about the necessity of vaccines, spay/neuter, heartworm prevention, etc. BUT, you also basically pump every pet that comes through the door with 5-7 types of vaccines a YEAR! Giardia, Lyme disease, Lepto, vaccines that are controversial and currently being regarded by most veterinary groups as unnecessary, and clients pets are receiving them and clients don't really know any better.

I owe a lot to Banfield for opening a door to me into the veterinary field, and I made great veterinary contacts and friends there, but on the whole I just don't think corporate veterinary care will ever be in a pet's best interest.

If you are considering being a doctor for them, I know that the vets I worked for often expressed a lot of frustration at all the restrictions that were imposed, AND even though you think you won't have to worry about financial issues with the practice because you're not running it, it's not true. Corporate produces list after list of production, net profits, etc, week after week after week, and you are penalized for "falling behind" other local practices, and it becomes seriously cut-throat. There are also a ton of inspections by higher-ups, and constant phone quality tests for the front desk and tech staff to make sure they answer the phones following Banfield's pre-written scripts to specific questions.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Ban Banfield07-21-2008, 10:23 AM

Google the following words, "complaints against Banfield Pet Hospital" and you'll be shocked at the hundreds, if not thousands, of complaints against them. Here's a suggestion that I found online that I thought was interested...

"As a consumer dispute resolution counselor, here’s what I advise with regard to Banfield if you want to get resolution and possibly compensation for your Banfield billing and animal care experiences:


Join in on one of the THREE class action lawsuits that are being considered or in preparation against Banfield Pet Hospitals by going to the law firms’ websites and listing your complaints. Definition of a class action can be found at: http://www.claiminformation.com/classactions.htm The more people that sign-up, the greater the resolution and possibility that you’ll be compensated for your emotional distress down the road. The law firms are as follows:
http://www.schneiderwallace.com/PracticeAreas/ClassActions.htm
Once there clink on "Inquire About Your Potential Case" and fill out the online form giving specific details of your problems regarding Banfield. Please, make sure that you include either your phone number or send them an email on the link within the "Inquire" link.

http://www.price-law.com/CM/FSDP/PracticeCenter/Personal-Injury/Cla...
Complete the online form outlining your experiences.

http://www.barronberry.com/CM/Custom/Contact.asp
Complete the online form outlining your experiences.

Please, make sure that you share your experiences regarding billing issues, pet care (or lack therefore of), names of staff, location of hospitals and if you've ever written to the corporate offices and if so, what was the response if any. Remember, the more people that join the class action lawsuits, the greater the chances of resolution and restitution (financial compensation for your losses and emotional distress).


2.Go to www.ftc.gov (http://www.ftc.gov/) (Federal Trade Commission) and file a very quick online complaint. Make sure that you give any contract numbers, names of staff, address of the hospital that you used, leave out unnecessary details and get to the point (short and sweet) and name the CEO as the contact person: Dr. Scott Campbell, CEO, Banfield, The Pet Hospital, 8000 NE Tillamook
Portland, OR 97213. 800-838-6738 Fax [phone] email: [e-mail] The FTC will issue fines if they receive enough complaints.

3.Google your state’s Governor’s Office or Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Affairs and file a complaint. Most will allow you to do this online. It’s quick and easy just include specific names, addresses, dates, details of problems (short and to the point) contract numbers, if any, and your contact information. Consumer Affairs will issue fines if they receive enough complaints.

4.Contact the American Association of Veterinary State Boards by calling 1-877-698-8482 or http://www.aavsb.org/ContactUs/ContactUs.aspx (http://www.aavsb.org/ContactUs/ContactUs.aspx) and ask them for the website, phone number and/or address for the regulatory board for your state, then file a complaint against Banfield’s license in that state.

5.Write directly to the CEO of Banfield(or at least print and copy all of your complaints to all of the agencies above and mail a copy to: Dr. Scott Campbell, CEO, Banfield, The Pet Hospital, 8000 NE Tillamook Portland, OR 97213 Phone [phone] Fax [phone] email: [e-mail] ([e-mail]) VP of Operations direct line 503-922-5244 fax [phone].

6.Post these instructions on every complaint forum and website mentioning Banfield that you can find on Google.

7.Remember there’s strength in numbers. If you’re not going to take the time to file a complaint then don’t take the time to post a complaint. Change only comes through efforts to make change.

Contact the CEO of PetSmart and let them know that you’ll NOT shop PetSmart until they kick Banfield to the curb. They are separate companies but who would want to support a store that allows another business to operate using such bad business practices while being inside their stores? Contact: Philip L. Francis, CEO, PetSmart, Inc., 19601 N. 27th Ave, Phoenix AZ 85027, phone [phone]."

[Katie and Twinkie!]

Well that sums it up!!! I will never go there!!!! Thank you so much! Those stories are so sad, I actually found a close private vet that seems like it will be a good fit for Twinkie! Thanks for all the responses!

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

It really depends on the individual site. We use a Banfield here in NJ and always see 1 of 2 vets and they are absolutely wonderful. I have to say, I don't want our doodles seen by the other vets (I just don't trust them), but the 2 we use are wonderful. Dexter had 2 stomach surgeries there (to remove foreign objects). Each surgery cost us $700. It would have cost us $3-5k each if we had to go to an animal hospital so I think we have recooped our monthly charges.

I read a lot of negatives below, but our experience has been only positive. I think it's like Petsmart's groomers...we found one that we love (the lady cuts doodles all the time), but have seen the results of terrible haircuts from other locations.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I just feel that corporations and health care do not make a good combination, whether for dogs or for humans. Look at what corporations have done for the quality, cost, and impersonalization of health care for people. Treatment plans should be dictated by the individual needs of the patient, not by corporate policy.

[Lynne B]

The Banfield in closed down, my neighbors had the 'insurance policy' and got a letter that it was being discontinued, no refund of premiums, nothing.. the vet that had been working at Banfield opened his own clinic, I took Beck there and I have to say he was absolutely the WORST vet I had ever taken a dog to in my life! How he got a license to practice veterinary medicine is baffling. I am sure some of the vets associated with Banfield are just fine, but my experience is that petsmart and petco are better at selling leashes than they are offering training classes and veterinary services