Complain about a product or service

Banfield Pet Hospital

Jody of Glendora, CA November 9, 2007
After having a very negative consultation with a Banfield vet, I wrote a letter asking to cancel the insurance I had for my cat. I was sent a receipt and written on it was "135.60 due to cancel plan". I figured if I still had to pay for the insurance until the renewal in June '08, I would keep it and perhaps use another office.

I wrote another certified letter to Banfield stating I did not wish to renew the insurance in June'08. That was when I received a phone call letting me know they had already canceled the insurance. She stated I owed 0 balance. When I questioned her as to why the receipt said I owed money, she put me on hold.  When she returned she stated she had made a mistake and I still owed 135.60.

I asked her to reinstate the insurance until June '08 to which she replied that she would the corp office because I was within the 30 day grace period.The following day, they called me back stating once again they had made a mistake, there was no 30 day grace and they would not reopen the insurance.

I filed a complaint w/BBB who sent a formal complaint to the Banfield Clinic.  Today is November 9th, and I haven't heard back from Banfield. 

Melinda of Las Vegas, NV November 5, 2007
On 9/30/2007 I took my dog of 14 years to Banfield because that morning she didn't look her normal self. My dog has been living with a tumor for over 2 years now. Our usual vet did not have any time available, and so we took Kesha to the next available. Dr. Martinez prescribed Tramadol, Sucralfate and Prednisone as he said she was old, and he could only make her comfortable. The next day Kesha could not even move her back legs. I found her in the backyard covered in her own urine because she couldn't get up--problems she had not had. Kesha also was now in severe pain. My dog went from being fine to now losing her. Kesha was so depressed and in so much pain that I had to put my dog down 24 hrs after taking her to Banfield Hospital. Do not take your loved one to Banfield if you want to keep them alive.

Ben of San Francisco, CA November 5, 2007
My daughter had to put our beloved dog to sleep. We specifically asked for a private cremation, and the nurse let me know he'd take care of it. We called months later inquiring about our dog's ashes. It turns out that whoever had filled out the forms for the cremation marked it as Group Cremation. That was a blow to the family, but it showed us how Banfield does not treat pets like family. We have much anger and resentment towards this horrible company.

I spent much more for the private cremation than I would have in the group cremation. But more importantly, it was the emotional damage my daughter and the family received that was far worse. Banfield is highly unprofessional.

Catherine of Charlotte, NC October 23, 2007
I brought my 14-year-old cat to Banfield Hospital because it appeared something was wrong with her tongue or the inside of her mouth. The vet didn't even bother looking in her mouth. I said she could sedate her and the vet told me just bring her back if it continues. I brought my cat back 2-3 weeks later because there was a swollen place near her lower jaw. I thought the problem might then be her teeth and/or gums. The second vet only felt the swollen part, gave her an antibiotic, and refused to look inside my cat's mouth. Then I received a print-out of over 600.00 in tests they wanted to do and wanted me to join the Wellness Plan. They left off any oral or dental examination. My cat continued to worsen. I brought her to a different animal hospital, the vet looked in my cat's mouth and told me she had a mass there, probably down to the bone. I had to have her euthanized.

Cathy of Virginia Beach, VA October 20, 2007
We took our kitten to Banfield for initial shots. They talked us into getting the Wellness plan with the monthly fee deducted from our checking account. Several months later we received a bill for 131.00 with a note saying we never paid for our Wellness plan. We have the checking statements proving that is NOT true. We refused to pay. They sent our account on to a Collection Agency. Three years later we purchased our first home. At closing we were informed that if we wanted the house we HAD to pay 131 to Banfield (even though we didn't owe them a dime). So we had a cashier's check made out to Banfield for 131. Now 2 1/2 years later we are getting ready to move. We have a negative account on our credit report from BANFIELD ANIMAL HOSPITAL saying that we STILL owe them 131.00 (even though they were paid over 2 years ago). STAY AWAY FROM BANFIELD AT ALL COSTS.

We are out 131.00 and our credit report is still showing a negative account, even though the account was paid in full almost 3 years ago.

Marietta of Raleigh, NC October 18, 2007
I had no idea just how much I was being taken for whenever I took my dog to Banfield until I tried a different vet.  She too was wary of the charges she was paying.

This new clinic is amazing. They charged me nearly half what Banfield was charging me. Even a tablet like Clavamox was nearly 4 times cheaper (.64/tablet. Banfield charged 2.40/tablet). Banfield suggested that my dog needed certain tests that would cost almost a thousand dollars if he was to live. I took him for a second opinion and ended up paying just over 100 bucks!

Kellie of San Jose, CA October 17, 2007
I signed up for their Wellness Program for 1 year. When I tried to cancel my membership because my dog was stolen, they said that I would have to pay a cancellation fee.

I feel ripped off because I am paying for a service that I can't use. Why am I being penalized?

Patrice of San Jose, CA October 17, 2007
I had just gotten a kitten and was talked into putting him on the wellness plan. I did and unfortunately 2 months later he had to be put down because he had FIP. Not only did I lose my pet, but I also had to pay for a year of insurance for a pet that was no longer alive.

More recently, I adopted a puppy and again was talked into purchasing the wellness plan. When a change in my job required more office time I had to "re-home" my puppy after having her only 1 week.  One of my son's classmates and his family took her in.

They can't use the insurance, because it is non-transferable.  I lose another 300 because I can't transfer the insurance and I still have to pay for it even though I no longer have the dog.

James of Atlanta, GA October 16, 2007
My dog was crying like he was in pain when he walked. I took my dog into the Banfield office and after 700 worth of tests and scans, they told me my dog only had a bad ear infection. They prescribed meds and ear drops for my dog.

After two weeks my dog could not walk. I took him to the pet emergency hospital and found out that he had a ruptured disk in his back that had paralized him from the waist down. They could do surgery but there was a 50/50 chance that he would walk again. I had to put him down.

The emergency center made a comment that his condition should have shown up on a regular X-Ray and we could have prevented my loss if we caught it early.

I'm out of 700, no dog, and stuck in their stupid contract for the wellness plan.

Scott of Lake Oswego, OR October 12, 2007
i took my dog to Banfield for 4 years. i had them clip my dog's toenails every so often, and he absolutely hates it, so Dr. Williams prescribed a sedative for me to give my dog before a clipping, which i did. I get to the office, and my dog has a major seizure. It was horrible.  He urinated all over me (not one employee even offered me a towel to clean up) and was crying very weirdly and was stiff all over so they took him into the back room. As I waited in the lobby, a nurse was leaving, and she said with a smile on her face that they don't give dogs with seizure history that particular kind of medication. Banfield had been aware of my dog's seizure history.  Then the doctor came out and actually tried to get me to upgrade my wellness plan in order to pay for a blood test for my dog because they wanted to check his liver. I told her what the nurse had told me, and about his seizures in the past, and that I was extremely unhappy to which she responded "Ohhh..." and went in the back room again. They agreed to not charge me for the valium they had to give him to stop the seizures. Gee,thanks. i will never go there again or recommend to anyone that they take their animals there for Dr. Williams randomly prescribes medication without taking a minute to look in the animals' chart. Also, once I reminded her about his seizure history, she deemed the blood test unecessary and so the wellness plan upgade wasn't needed.

They refunded the cost of the valium as well as the medicine that gave my dog the seizure, but they gave my dog an unnecessary seizure to which a dollar amount is inconsequential. The whole situation was traumatic for my dog as well as myself.

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