At the vets.......

[charliebubs]

Before I start my rant, I just want to say that no offence is meant to responsible dog owners!!! ;)


When I was at the vets yesterday with Bernard for his booster jab and a hair cut I had the displeasure of meeting a horrible irresponsible dog owner :(

In the waiting room at my vets they have a section for dogs & their owners and a section for small animals in carriers and their owners - which is fantastic.

However, when it comes to paying and queueing at the desk to leave - everyone is together.

I had Bernard in his carrier on the floor to the side of me, when a young-ish girl and her bull-terrier type dog came upto the counter next to me. She slackened the lead on her dog while she was paying and he immediately lurched for Bernard in the carrier and was growling.

I lept in the middle of them and moved Bernard's carrier as far away from her as was physically possible - by this time he was growling too and clearly scared. The girl didn't give a damn :evil: I asked her if she could move her dog away from my cat and keep control of him and you should have seen the stare she gave me. I thought she was going to swing for me!!!

I was paid up before her, picked up Bernard in the carrier and walked the long way around her and her dog to the exit. While I was in the car park strapping the carrier into the car - she came out with her dog and she was straight on her mobilephone to someone telling them what a b*tch I had been!!!!!!!!!!! Some people are so unreasonable. Surely you shouldn't have a dog if you can't control it!?!

Sorry for the rant!!! :shock: :roll: :twisted:

[Donna]

Totally agree. My vets dont have separate areas for dogs but wish they did.

My cats are bad enough when they have to be taken, but my rabbits are always terrified if there are loud barking/whining dogs.

Rabbits can die of fright. Just wish some dog owners would consider other animals.

[Darky]

Unfortunately the world is full of idiots, and some of these idiots own pets.

I feel lucky that our tiny village veterinary surgery has held no bad incidents for me, as I've only ever run into nice owners.. Though, there was that one women stroking her cat in a weird cage, talking to it about how they were going to have a 'pussy party'..

[Fran]

As a dog, cat and rabbit owner ;) I have been on all the ends of this whilst at the vets. Luckily my dogs would not hurt a fly and I always keep them well away from small furries anyhow as I know not all animals live with dogs. But I too have been subject to some quite nasty dogs growling at my cats. Luckily I've never encountered unreasonable owners but tbh our vets/receptionists would not tolerate this sort of behaviour and would ask the dog owner to wait outside / go put their dog in the car if it was making a nuisance of itself.

[charliebubs]

I was surprised that the receptionists didn't step in tbh - but they were both quite new girls and not the usual ones, so perhaps they weren't sure what to do.

It was the owner's attitude that annoyed me most - I only asked her politely to move her dog away from Bernard :cry: :cry:

I don't have anything against dogs at all - just owners that can't (or don't want to) keep them under control :(

[Elaine]

Totally agree with you Charlie, some people are idiots!!!
I have seen similar people in the pet shop, there are clearly signs saying "please keep your dogs away from the animals", but you'd be amazed at the people who insist on ignoring them and on one occasion picking a dog up for a closer look at the birds:shock:
Ofcourse when you tell them off, you are the unreasonable bitch.
I pray for a day when common sense prevails.

[Mags]

My vet doesn't have a separate section for cats and dogs either.... I didn't realise some vets did this, it's a great idea!

Several times I have taken Cassie to the vet in her carrier, the waiting room is not all that big and very often the owners have their dogs on a very slack lead.......... they let the dogs come close to the carrier and sniff round it :mad: I then have to pick the carrier up and put it on my lap but they still insist on allowing their dogs within reach. I usually utter a quiet "Go away" and the owner will then pull the dog away. I'm sure they don't realise how stressed cats can get when a dog sniffs around close , especially when they are not used to them...:mad:

[tilly]

We don't have a seperate section for dogs and cats at my vets either. They do have these good chair which I sit on and put the carrier under my chair then I can easily stop any dogs that get too close to the carrier and resident cat.

Sally

[Soupie]

No separate areas at our vets either and last week when I took Quando to the vet we had a horrendous experience. First of all we had to wait 45 minutes which is not too bad except there were 5 dogs which during this time would not stop barking at the tops of their voices and whose owners thought it was funnny.

Turns out the reason I had to wait so long was because the noise made by the dogs was upsetting the cat in before me so much they could hardly treat it :shock:

Then whilst waiting to pay someone let their dog go right up to my pet carrier and when I asked them to please keep their dog away as it upset Quando they looked at me like I was an alien :mad:

I know there are responsible dog owners out there but they never seem to be there when I go to the vets. It has got so bad with people not controlling their dogs that I find the whole experience very stressful - if they can't control them in the waiting rookm they should wait in the car with the dog until it is their turn. One lady last week did just this for that reason!

[Mags]

I know just how you feel Soupie! I can never understand why dog owners let their dog get close to the cat carrier like that :mad:...........I bet they would keep their dogs at a distance if out cats were sat on our laps, for fear of a scratched nose;)

[Jac]

My Vet doesn't have separate rooms either. I think it's a great idea.
When I had Blue I always went in to see what was there. I would leave him in the car until it was my turn. Then I could just walk right in. When I left I would put him in the car then go back and pay.
He was the softest lump going but I couldn't relay on other dog owners to control there dogs. I have in the past seen dogs go for other dogs or cats, truly disgusting on the owners part.
Sorry you had such a bad experiance Charlie and hope Bernard is none the worse for it.

[Kim]

100% agree with you Charlie - she was unreasonable.

What a good idea though to have separate areas for dogs!

[yola]

My vets refurbed a few years ago and created a completely separate area for cats. All dogs and other small furries have their own waiting area.

They also have separate operating theatres and recovery areas for cats. I think cats are a big part of their business.

I always used to come away with bad asthma when I was in a shared area, being allergic to dogs (as well as being a bit frightened of them). So going to the vets is now a much more positive experience both for the cats and for me :D

It is a shame that many dog owners actually seem to take pleasure from their pets' harrassment of other people and/or pets.

[Moli]

Totally unacceptable! When I take my dogs to the vets, after the consultation, I put them in the car then go back in to pay.That was ridiculous allowing her dog to frighten Bernard.....:mad:

[dandysmom]

What an unpleasant experience for you and Bernard, Charlie! Irresponsible is the right word for that woman, and others who don't control their dogs.
My vet doesn't have a separate waiting room; wish they did! When Leia was there in December and broke out of her carrier there were 5 or 6 dogs waiting...all leashed, thank God, but a very scary experience nonetheless ; she was already terrified and the mad barking didn't help!

[charliebubs]

I'm glad I'm not the only one it happens too!! Thanks for all your support, guys. :)

Bernard is a big strong man - thank goodness - but the dog owner didn't know that :roll:

I just hope I don't have to cross her path again.......

[Amber]

What a horrible ordeal for you and your little man!

If that was at our vets where I am a VN, I would have had a few words to say to the girl with her dog :evil:

At our practice, we have a large waiting area which is split into 2 sections by a large food stand, creating a seperate cat/small animal and dog waiting areas. The cat waiting area is provided with a table so that carriers can be placed off of the floor. Although our reception desk is situated by the cat waiting area, we ask that all owners tether their dogs to our dog parking areas, or place dogs in the car before paying so as not to upset the cats.

We also have seperate wards for dogs and cats for our in-patients. The kennels in the cat ward are also only along one wall so that no cats are facing each other, thus minimising stress and spreading of infections. We have a seperate operating theatre and provide hooded beds for nervous cats that wish to hide away.