Thank you for entrusting the care and welfare of your pet to Animal House Veterinary Services. Should you require any clarification of our Terms and Conditions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Opening Times:

Monday to Friday: 8.30am – 7.00pm

Saturday: 9.00am –  1.00pm

Sunday:  Closed

Consultations are by appointment only, except for emergencies.

Consultation Times:

Monday to Friday 9.00am – 12.00pm and 3.30pm – 7.00pm

Saturday 9.00am –  12.00pm

If it is an emergency, if possible, please call to give us a synopsis of the problem and advise you are on your way. We will triage your pet as soon as you arrive.

Home visits are available, but unless it is an emergency please telephone our reception to arrange a mutually convenient time.

Out of Hours Pet Care:

All emergencies after surgery hours are dealt with by MiVet, an independent service providing continuous emergency care for local veterinary practices when they are closed.

MiVet is staffed by experienced vets and nurses.

Their address is:

Barton Veterinary Hospital, 34 New Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3BH

Direct Phone number : 01227 941140

Standards of Service

All our veterinary services are determined and performed by qualified veterinarians, assisted by qualified registered or trainee veterinary nurses. All our vets and qualified nurses are registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and must act in accordance with their guide to professional conduct at all times.

Fees and Payment Terms

All fees and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by time spent on cases and any drugs, materials and consumables. Cost of prescription drugs will be provided on request. We can supply a prescription if preferred; please ask for the current cost for this service.

It is a practice requirement that all patients should be re-examined at least every 6 months before a repeat prescription can be issued. In some cases a more frequent re-examination may be required.

Certain elective procedures, such as; neutering, are carried out at set prices – dependant on size and weight. These fees are based on the assumption that no complications occur. Any complications which incur extra care will be charged accordingly. There are many and varied reasons why surgical or medical complications may occur, including self trauma by the patient. We pride ourselves on our excellent clinical standards in order to minimise this risk. Risk of complications is clearly identified in all of our consent forms. Costs arising as a result of dealing with any complications are regarded as additional to any estimate and will be included in the final amount.

We will happily provide a written estimate as to the probable cost of a course of treatment.

Please bear in mind that any estimate given can only approximate, as a pet’s illness may not follow a conventional or predictable course. As such, a written estimate should not be interpreted as a fixed price quotation, however we will make every effort to discuss any extra costs, wherever possible.

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of each consultation, the discharge of your pet or upon collection of drugs/diets.

You may settle your account by using any of the following methods:

• CASH
• CHEQUE (with valid Bankers card)
• CREDIT/DEBIT CARD

Please ensure that you are able to settle your account as we DO NOT offer credit facilities.

The Practice will pursue all outstanding fees and will use use debt collection agencies, legal services and court action where necessary. We will forward you a statement at the end of each month advising any outstanding amount and will follow this up at reasonable intervals before submitting the account to a debt collecting agency. We do not accept responsibility for the actions of our debt collecting agencies or the consequences of pursuing any debt owed to us or sold on by us.

It is the responsibility of the client to ensure their insurance policy provides adequate cover for any conditions being claimed for and to track the progress of any claims being made on their behalf.

Please also be aware that it is your responsibility to settle your account with the Practice and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company.

The Right to Refuse Services

Any client threatening a member of staff, behaving inappropriately or failing to clear their account in response to a final written request will, be refused future veterinary services.

Complaints Procedure

Animal House Veterinary Services is committed to providing an exceptional level of service and care and we sincerely hope you never have cause to complain about the standards of service you have received from us. However, if there is something you wish to discuss or you have a complaint, please address this in the first instance with the veterinary surgeon or nurse in charge of your pet. Should you still be concerned, please direct your comments in writing (e-mail will suffice) for the attention of the Practice Manager. Please include your details, the staff member(s) concerned and the full circumstances of your complaint. We will endeavour to respond within 5 business days and advise if we need a little more time to investigate your comments thoroughly. We take any complaint seriously and any comments which will help us to improve our services are always welcome.

Client Data Protection

Please also see our Privacy Policy.

The Practice is registered under the Data Protection Act of 1998 to keep your personal information for accounting and record purposes. We will not divulge your details to any other agencies, except for debt collection purposes. We will use the data we have on file to contact you with information beneficial to your pet’s health, for example; vaccination reminders, drug recall information, other relevant products and newsletters.

Case records, including laboratory results, radiographs and similar documents are the property of, and will be retained by, Animal House Veterinary Services. Copies, including a summary of the history, will be passed on request to another veterinary surgeon taking over a case, or a referral centre. As it is a stipulation of your contract with your insurance company, case notes may be forwarded to them on request.  We do not allow third party access without a client’s permission.

Unless our clients specify otherwise, the Practice veterinary surgeons and nurses are free to take photographic images throughout the course of all or any treatment. Such photographs may eventually be used by the Practice for training, teaching or marketing purposes.

We  record all telephone calls for monitoring and training purposes.

Second Opinions and Specialist Referrals

Should you feel you would like another opinion on your pet’s condition, please ask. We are happy to arrange a second opinion with either another vet within the practice or referral to a specialist.

Responsible Pet Ownership & Pet Health Insurance

Animal House Veterinary Services believes in responsible pet ownership. This includes ensuring that all your registered animals are fully vaccinated at all times. We cannot be responsible for the consequences of a client bringing an inadequately vaccinated animal to  our surgery. Cats and dogs should also be regularly treated for common endoparasites and ectoparasites, as well as having a permanent means of identification. Please ask us for advice on how best to achieve this.

The Practice supports the principle of insuring your pet against unexpected illness or accidents, please ask any member of staff for details about insurance.

It is the responsibility of the client to ensure their policy provides adequate cover for any conditions being claimed for and to track the progress of any claims being made on their behalf.

Please also be aware that it is your responsibility to settle your account with the Practice and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company.