ComplaintsforBlue Starr Animal Hospital

• Initial Complaint

  03/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We called Dr. ***** office in regards to our Black & White Toy Yorkie, Finley, biting issues and a person named Harmony, answered and told us that we needed to Euthanize a biting dog (Behavioral Euthanization). When we took Finley in, we were very distraught and crying. Dr. ***** stated, they have medication for dogs that have anxiety. She shared with us, our home was not a good fit for Finley. She asked to sign a paper making her advocate for Finley for rehoming him. Well, it's the worst thing we could have done!! We called her back and begged for Finley to be returned to us and we would pay any boarding fees. She said a definite "no" and told us Zoi's Rescue had picked him up. I sent numerouse emails to Zoi's and was repeatedly told "no" and some emails there were no response. They sent us one after my last plea and was emailed that he had been adopted.

  Business response

  03/15/2023

  I saw Finley in February for a humane euthanasia.  When the owners brought him, they told me they were having problems with him biting people coming over to the house. He had bitten the wife’s sister and she no longer wanted to come to the house.  The wife also informed me that she had her own anxiety issues and Finley could be feeding off of her. The owners told me he couldn’t be around any other dogs as he becomes very aggressive. They were told by several people that he needs to be euthanized.  I informed them that they had other options other than euthanasia.  Since Finley was a 4-year-old small dog that I had previously seen and worked with I didn't feel that euthanasia was necessary.  He was fearful in the clinic but never aggressive.  I discussed with the owners that we could try anxiety medications, but they were unwilling to try anything on that day.  Wife stated that she has spent a lot of money on a trainer and Finley wasn’t getting better. They had decided that he could not be in their home any longer.  I offered to take him and find him a new home that was better suited for Finley’s personality.  They then relinquished their ownership of the dog to me. I then placed him in a foster care household with ****s Animal Rescue.  He has since become a happier dog in the new household.  He plays with other dogs and is very affectionate to his foster parents.  He has lost weight because he has become more active, he was overweight at the time of relinquishment.  He has not needed any medications to have this change so I would not give him back to his original owners when they called a few days later.  Finley is happy and healthy and is doing wonderful since leaving his previous home.  As a veterinarian my whole goal is to aid in the health and happiness of my patients even if that means finding a new home for a patient. 

  Customer response

  03/21/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:   I am ***** ******, *****'s legal and documented caretaker, per her personal physician and my employer, The Home Depot (HR Dept) where I have been employed for 30 years. My wife, 70, is retired and exibits mild symptoms of mental aging with axiety & slight dementia. My work has afforded me the ability to take off to attend ***** when needed. On the day we visited Dr. *****, ***** was crying and very upset after being told on the phone by a lady named Harmony, "dogs that bite should be euthanized and we perform euthanazia in our office for biting dogs". After *****'s conversation on the phone, she called me in a panic. ***** shortly called back to their office and asked if we could make an appointment to talk with Dr. *****. Our only intent was to discusses Finley's biting. Dr. ***** and Harmony must have gotten there wires crossed, ***** was given a 3 pm appointment. During our 3pm visit to Dr. *****, my wife was confused and crying. In Dr. ***** response letter to the BBB she kept referring to "they", let it be clear, there were no "they" during this meeting! The entire conversation was between Dr. ***** and ***** as I sat there processing the two options provided to us. In Dr ***** response letter to the BBB, "that we could try anxiety medications, but they were unwilling to try anything on that day". This is not truthful. Dr. ***** gives the impression that we were uncoopertive of one of the two choices, that she could medicate him for anxiety or he could be euthanized and again explained he would be better suited in another home. ***** was very upset with the fact that Dr. ***** stated, "your home is not a good home for Finley". After I initially shared with Dr. *****, "not *****", that ***** occasionally suffered mild anxiety and Finley may have been experiencing her anxiety. At no time was Finley ever agressive with other dogs and we never stated that he was, as Dr. ***** stated in her BBB response. In our presence and the presence of other family members and our friends, Finley did not care to play with other dogs. Also, Dr. ***** stated in her response, we told her that Finley could NOT be in our home. Niether ***** nor I had ever stated that we could not take care for Finley in our home. On the contrary, I rebutted, when I returned to her clinic within the hour that we first met stating to her, "no one can take care of my Little Boy Finley better than I can". And was told, her mind was made up and she would not give Finley to me. In her BBB response, Dr ***** states that Finley has become happier in his new household. The fact is, no way she could possible compare Finley's "new" household to our home.  Dr. ***** has "never" been to our home and witnessed our interaction with Finley. Dr. ***** in her response to the BBB, that ***** stated she had spent a lot of money on a trainer and Finley wasn't getting better. Not the truth! We so loved Finley as part of our family, spending money on him was never a problem (frequent grooming, neutering, teeth cleaning, Dr visit for a mild ear infection, all natural, made in the USA dog food & treats, training, etc.  In Dr ***** response to the BBB, she states "they had decided that he could not be in their home any longer". This is a total fabrication of the truth. ***** and I never thought that he could no longer be in our home. Dr *****, in her response to the BBB stated, "when they called a few days later". That is not truthful. It was two days, Saturday morning when the clinic opened. Not counting the fact that I returned to her clinic (Thursday) within the hour of Dr. ***** talking ***** into signing a piece of paper making Dr. ***** advocate of Finley. ***** waited until Saturday because she was distraught and crying most of Friday. During Dr. ***** return call to ***** on Saturday, ***** cried on the phone pleading with Dr. ***** asking for Finley to be returned to our home and she was told, "no"! Dr ***** stated, had already been placed in a Foster Home through Zoi's Rescue. Dr. ***** states in her response to the BBB, "they" relinquished thier ownership of the dog. Not truthful. As a matter of fact, during our office visit, Dr ***** quickly put her body between ***** and I with a piece of paper in hand and a pen, stating to *****, "sign here, sign here". My distressed wife was overpowered and signed the document that gave Finley to Dr *****. I assure you, there were never a "THEY" in this decision. Dr. ***** never gave ***** or myself a copy of this document. Dr. ***** then took Finley from my arms and wisked him to a nearby room. The door opened quickly, Finley was handed to two girls with out stretched arms, and we were escorted out of the clinic, both of us heartbroken and feeling like the entire process was NOT our intent! We had essentially felt, that Dr. ***** had taken advantage of us. Looking back, I believe it was never Dr. ***** intent to help us. Dr. ***** stated in her response to the BBB, "as a veternarian my whole goal is to aid in the health and happiness of my patients, even if that means finding a new home for a patient". In the (AVMA) Americian Veterinary Medical Association they list the code of  (PVME) Principal Veterinary Medical Ethics. The very first two principals mention upholding the public trust vested in the veterinary proffession. Having compassion and respect for animal welfare and human health. Our health was never considered. In her response to the BBB, Dr. ***** stated that Finley is currently in a Foster Care Household. It is our plea to have our Finley returned to his home with us, where he was always loved and nutured and will continue to be love and nutured for the remainder of his life.     

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