Turned Away at Banfield
We have three dogs on Banfield plans, and Monday at 2:30 in the afternoon two of them were suspected of ingesting spilled antifreeze. We tried to call ahead and did not get through, but since in these cases time is of the essence, into the car we went.
Unfortunately, though the staff at Banfield were courteous and seemed to want to help, they had no vets available at either of their Pet Hospitals in town. We ended up calling the ASPCA pet poison control ($95 fee), and visiting another local vet for tests ($700, most of which was just the visit and exam) and found out the dogs had not drank a significant amount after all.
While we are relieved they will be ok, this whole experience goes to show that these plans and facilities have serious limitations over traditional vet care. When you have an emergency, good luck! It’s ironic because we thought this was precisely the kind of situation where having Banfield plans would be helpful. Routine care you can budget for after all.
Now, on the subject of that, since Covid, our Banfield facility has switched to a “drop off” service model. Gone are the days of being able to come back to the exam room with your pet and meet your vet. Instead, your animal likely sits in a cage for hours while they deal with high volumes of patients. You have no idea how your animal is being treated and there is less chance to ask questions. It really seems to have gone downhill.
Finally, want to cancel? Well, good luck with that too. It’s notoriously difficult.
In conclusion, consider carefully if being obligated to a yearly contract with automatic renewal is wise when:
1. Clinics seem to be increasingly understaffed.
2. Care is high volume, drop off, impersonal, and practically limited to preventative treatments.
3. Savings is represented based on inflated costs of routine exams, shots, etc.
4. You are not likely to save money if you have an emergency, and may find yourself scrambling to find care at a new vet who doesn’t know you or your pets.
Think carefully about these plans and their hidden costs and limitations before signing up!