I've just had the worst experience with a Banfield employee named Andrea at your Hawthorne petsmart location 3/25 8p. I have a prescription for catfood, my cat has relied on this food for years . Tonight this employee refused to honor my prescription to purchase dry food stating that petsmart only takes prescriptions from Banfield. I spoke to two employees, this is a complete lie. Then after incompetence and lazyness she harassed me by following me to checkout and interrogating the cashier if i had a prescription, which she already knew i did, in hopes my purchase would be rejected. Fortunately the petsmart employee was professional enough to honor my prescription so my pets health won't be compromised. This is unacceptable work place behavior, disiplinary actions need to be taken towards this employee. I will be calling and writing letters to this effect to petsmart local management, petsmart corporate, Banfield corporate, and advising all of the animal volunteer and shelter organization i participate in to seek alternate pet care providers until this problem associate has been removed.

Outraged

I've been working with Banfield for over a year now and I've haven't had many complaints until recently. Within a month of working, I learned the basics of what I needed to learn for my job. Over the course of a year, I learned what was needed for most pets and clients, I know what to ask of clients for anything they're coming in for, and I know how to explain medications. I used to work for the Banfield in Ft. Lauderdale before I transferred to the one in Ocoee. But between them both and probably for all of them in general, I can't seem to understand as to why they take away the chairs. Every hospital (human or animal), I've seen the receptionist always sitting. Whether the counter was low or high, I always saw them sit. I thought that was fine and I've never had any issues with that. With Banfield, that's not the case, they have us stand for eight or more hours and I think that it's unfair that we have to stand even though we barely move from our post. Now that S.B.E. has moved in, we are not allowed to go to the back of the hospital, even to give notes to the doctors or get flea/heartworm preventative or get a simple Rx card, we have to call over the intercom to get a nurse to do it.

I don't think that it's fair and it seems unreasonable to not let us move from our post to get things. That means that there are people waiting to be checked in as well as people who just need to get there medication. I think that we shouldn't have to get a note from our doctor in order to have a chair. I work well and more efficiently when I am sitting down. I recently had to work a 14 hour shift yesterday...with...no...chair. I never felt so tired or in pain in my entire life. I can handle S.B.E. layout for the schedule. What I can't handle is not having a chair in the front. I've seen most veterinary hospitals, and when I've taken tours, there's never a chair for the Veterinary Assistants/Veterinary Technicians or the Doctors. But to not have the chairs for the receptionist? That's absolutely ridiculous!

Even every time I try to ask as to why we don't have any chairs, no one gives me a straight answer. It's always, "We've never had chairs," or "They just did away with them." What is the reason for the chairs being removed? It doesn't matter on what shoes I wear or what place mat I'm on, if I don't move from the computer for eight hours, you expect me to be confined to a 9x9 desk area with no chair. I would look like a bafoon if I was circling the lobby like a vulture. I'm not going to stretch around or walk in my cubicle of a front desk. There is no room to do that and I don't want to stand for eight or more hours if that's the only thing I'm doing. It also seems unfair that the VA's/VT's and Doctors get to have a chair. Is it because they are constantly walking around? That's not really a reason.

I've tried contacting the CEO about it; he ignored my message, sent it to our Field Director and then spoke to our Practice Manager. No one can tell me the truth and I really don't like it. I want a real answer. I think it's only fair to remove all the chairs from the hospital just so that the VA's/VT's and Doctors understand what it's like to have to stand in our shoes. I don't know who else feels this way, but I don't want to stand like a Hostess would at a restaurant, I don't work at a restaurant, it shouldn't be that way.

I work at banfield. And to the comment about the Giardia not working- at Banfield if your on a Wellness Plan its guaranteed and if the dog does get the disease Banfield pays for it. Also Lyme isn't just in certain parts. Tick in MICHIGAN carry it and cases have been found. RECENTLY. So YOU need to do your research. And by the way- google isn't proof, anyone can make a google site. And I have 3 pets on the Wellness plans. and let me tell you vaccines are $20-60. and there are about 8 annual shots so paying $200 a year is a good price, especially with unlimited office calls included in that and a discount on all other products. So I think all of you need to do your research before talking crap.

Himura-
first off yes Banfield employees do get 3 free ESSENTIAL wellness plans (doesn't include the dental cleaning, xrays, urinalysis, etc) but that doesn't mean anything. I have six dogs and I have all six of my dogs on wellness plans- I pay out of pocket for three of them. The thing with the wellness plans people do not understand is that they are not insurance and they do not pay for everything! Nothing in life is free! The wellness plans cover the pets recommended yearly preventative care. It is up to the owner if they want to sign up for the WP or not- no body is forced to sign up on the plans. My seeing with the plans is that if you are actually going to use the services provided then go for it but if you are never going to bring your pet in and not get them the recommended vaccines then do not sign up for the plan! When you sign up for the WP and then months later complain about the plan because it doesn't pay for everything in the world you are just making yourself look bad.
second- yes the giardia vaccines were discontinued but were given up until they were discontinued. the WP booklets did take a little longer to become updated but the prices did change when the vaccine was taken away. And the vaccine WAS guaranteed if the pet got the disease (and it is common is almost any pet in any state because Giardia comes from stagnate water and well it rains everywhere!
third: the lyme vaccine is not "pushed" to get more out of the plan. lyme disease is an untreatable disease that has been found in many different areas. Vet professionals recommend the vaccination to provide the quality care your pet deserves. Again nobody forces you to do the vaccine- just say no!
fourth: your statement "the "crazy cat lady" commenter, only someone who has absolutely no experience with cats will have a problem handling them. in my experience Banfield Hospitals do not like cats and sometimes refuse them just on that principle" is bogus. Everybody has their own preferences of pets- some people like rats over dogs or cats some people like hamsters over fish etc. Just because some people are not the fondest of cats doesn't mean every banfield doesn't like cats. EVERY BANFIELD IS DIFFERENT!!! I got bit a coworkers cat on 12-28 and had to have emergency surgery because it got very infected and ate away my tendon and muscle and began spreading very fast. I have over 3 years of experience handling cats in multiple different situations and some situations do call for different measures especially for cats. But cat bites and scratches are one the worst a person can get so you can not blame somebody for being cautious when dealing with a fractious cat. And BTW cats are unpredictable if you didn't know (they are from a family who are born with wild life instincts and those instincts can kick any whenever they want in a cat. My cat who I had for 14 years was the sweetest thing in the world when she was at home but the second she got the vet from her first visit (8weeks old) to her last (14 years- the day I had to put her down) she became very fractious and fought with all her might to get away (with claws and teeth) but then she got home and was loving once again. Cats do not like changes AT ALL!! so please before you try to say that the only people who are afraid or cautious with cats are ones with no experience how about you go deal with them and get bit or scratched and go through all the trouble it causes and then let me know how you feel about your statement again.
fifth thing- not all vets that work at banfield are "fresh out of school" or "shipped from a different country". if you dont realize there are many different vet schools and yes some are in the UK but they are not any easier to get into and they do not teach any differently! the demand to get into vet school is VERY high and that is why some people choose to go out of the country to go to school but that doesn't mean they are any less knowledgeable. Vets have to go through extensive training before they are let on their own anywhere and banfield is no different. just because they start out at banfield when they get their license doesn't mean they don't know anything or just got hired and got told "ok have fun".
and last if something happens that is obviously the clients fault why should banfield pay for it? banfield does take care of issues as needed even if it means giving people refunds but just like any company you can not give every single person their money back which means you can not please everybody. Run a business and you will realize that just about EVERY person who is your client can easily find something wrong and say your at fault and want their money back- go ahead and give everybody their money back and pay for all their problems (that were not your fault) and i promise you that you will go bankrupt very quickly.