Not to pay this bill?

[LBOCS2]

My neighbour has form for being a cat stealing loon over involved with my pets. She has adopted two of my cats since I have lived in this house by tempting them in to hers and feeding them. I mind, but I'm not going to kick up a fuss - cats choose their owners and these two were not happy about the addition of a 7lb 3oz screaming smelly interloper to their calm and peaceful life.

However. We have another cat, and in March I had a call from my vets surgery saying that my neighbour was there with my cat who was 'struggling to breathe and foaming from the mouth' according to my neighbour - but showed no sign of this when actually at the vets. I spoke to them, confirmed that they were happy to let the cat come home for watchful care, they weren't concerned.

I just rang them to book in the dog for his boosters and they said that there was an outstanding balance of £51 on my account, because of the cat's visit.

I said to them that I was not happy about paying this cost - they saw my cat without contacting me to confirm that I would be liable for any costs incurred on the say so of my neighbour who they and I know is a bit twitchy and has a habit of overreaction (for example she once called the fire brigade because her fridge was making a funny noise and she was convinced it was leaking 'gas'). They have my number - they called me to tell me that they'd seen the cat, so I think they should have rung me first and I'm not intending to pay it.

The receptionist sort of didn't say anything when I said this to her (I suspect it's not her call to write off costs) but WIBU to pursue this further when I take the dog down there? I think it's cheeky beyond belief.

[SquinkiesRule]

I wouldn't pay it either. I'd also make sure they put notes on the front of all your pet charts that says your neighbor cannot take the animals in without you authorizing it before the animals are seen.
Does the cat ever come home? If not I'd let the neighbor know she will now be responsible for the animal as she has taken it over and it;s her pet now, she gets to pay the vet.

[whois]

Yeah not your debt to pay.

Vets should have phoned you first, since there didn't seem to be anything life threatening wrong when the cat went into the vets.

[CoraPirbright]

I think the vets really should have called you first so I wouldn't pay either. I would tell them to chase your neighbour for payment as it was her decision to take the cat in. I would also look into some sort of solicitors letter telling her to bugger off and leave your pets alone.

[icelollycraving]

We had this with the family who stole befriended our cat. They came knocking when he needed treatment at the vets & wanted mum to pay. They got short shrift.

[willconcern]

Not your debt to pay. I'd put it in writing though.

[missybct]

Agree, vets should have called you.

However, I wonder whether your neighbour could have masqueraded as you at the point of booking your cat in, such is her desperation to get your cat seen to (for whatever bizarre reasons floats her boat). It was perhaps during the course of the treatment the neighbour announced she wasn't the actual owner and skipped out on the bill.

The times I've taken pets to the vets, they've asked who I am etc but presumably your neighbour would know your name/address so it wouldn't be the largest leap to assume she could have pretended to be the owner.

I'd definitely be contesting the bill. I'd also be having a word with your neighbour to let her know about the inconvenience of her actions.

[LBOCS2]

Yeah, I said that about the other two cats - she's responsible for them now. I'm reluctant to set the vets on her though; she's a pensioner and I'm sure in her eyes she was doing me a favour and I don't want to fall out with her. That's a good idea about having a note on our file though, I don't want her to be able to do this again.

[LBOCS2]

Oh no, she definitely didn't masquerade as me - she's well known at the vets, so they were fully aware of how she can be.

[Glovebug]

I wouldn't want to pay it either. If she went in saying it was struggling to breathe and foaming at the mouth they probably rushed the cat straight in to the vet as an emergency rather than waste time looking up your phone number to call you before hand. £51 seems very steep just for an examination

[Letmehaveausername]

sorry if this is a bit of a stupid question, but does your pet insurance not cover unexpected vet bills? We took out cat insurance which covers the costs of any unexpected vet trips, accident and emergencies, and free grooming/dietary advice.

If your insurance doesn't cover emergency vet visits you should maybe look at changing it, save you ending up with another unexpected bill (which you should definitely not pay in this instance!!)

[EttaJ]

No, if she wants the cats then they are her reponsibity now, all needs covered by her. The vets shouldn't be charging you.

[EttaJ]

Eek responsibility!

[Letmehaveausername]

But the third cat isn't her neighbours, it's the OPs cat, her neighbour hasn't catnapped adopted this one yet

[Glovebug]

Letmehave I know with my pet insurance the excess would be about that much anyway maybe even a bit more so wouldn't be worth claiming. Maybe some insurers have lower excess payments though

[WTAFisgoingon]

YANBU. If the vets didn't check you were happy to pay you shouldn't have to pay!

I would be very polite and apologetic to the vets, but explain firmly that they never asked you if you were willing to pay and you were under the impression the neighbour was paying.... Perhaps if you can do this nicely enough they will still agree to keep you as a client even if the neighbour also refuses to pay?

[Letmehaveausername]

Glove I genuinely don't know, I've only just took it out (new kitten) so wasn't sure if I was misunderstanding the way insurance works or if some insurance is different to others etc. Mine is through our local vets which we're registered with though, in case that makes a difference?

[Glovebug]

I might need to shop around

[OldManJenkins]

no i wouldnt pay it either, I have never come across an honest vets tbh, i have been stung by so many.
Recently missold a contract to have this payment plan for over expensive flea and worming treatment, when I complained because I wasnt getting what was sold to me they said they will cancel it now they are sending me bills months later and also in other peoples names.
Its a joke.

[Broken1Girl]

Yeah, excess will be over that. It's £60 with my policy for BrokenCat, and that was the lowest I could find.
Don't pay it OP. She took your cat in, she can pay.

[user1465823522]

I had exactly this issue several years ago with a horse we owned - someone called the emergency vet out at 10pm who, thankfully, was our own vet and knew me and the horse in question, so he knew that the issue was normal and nothing to be worried about. called me to tell me 'he's doign that urrrrrgh thing again' and 'who gets the bill?'

I refused to pay the bill because a)i did not call the vet b)there was nothing wrong that needed a vet c)the other person didn't call or text me once during this whole three hour ordeal to tell me what was happening.

In other news, our cats have basically adopted our neighbour as a god - he's a widower in his 90's and our cats head out the backdoor and straight over to his house every day. he adores them too, and when our old cat died he even dug the hole to bury her because I was so upset.

i think you need to have a chat with this woman about what is acceptable

[JustDanceAddict]

Years ago a woman on the road behind ours stole our cat away. The final straw which led to us giving him up properly was that we were paying the vet bills, but she was getting the enjoyment out of him so we transferred ownership completely. Was sad, but if she'd taken him to vet without our permission while we were still owners I would've made her pay if possible. The vet was wrong for not contacting you - maybe out of goodwill if she's an immediate neighbour, split the cost?

[Vri123]

Agree that you shouldn't have to pay but equally the vets don't have to get involved in sorting things out between you and your neighbour. You don't want to speak to her about it, so you are planning to leave it to the vets to tell her next time she comes in??
If I were this vet, I'd say I understood the awkwardness of your situation, but £51 is due and I wouldn't do any more work for either of you until the matter is resolved.

[SatansLittleHelper2]

YANBU. And people who encourage steal other peoples cats piss me off. This happened to us a few years ago, they only lived 2 doors down and changed his flea collar and allsorts. I wasnt bothered but my daughter was really upset.

I know cats choose their owners but people don't help when their rolling out the kit kat and telling them to wipe their paws on the way in. We have a cat who's trying to stake a claim on our house at the mo, my response is to chase it out with a sweeping brush, not encourage.

I wouldnt pay a bean, and just change vets if they try and pursue the bill.

[foursillybeans]

No, I think unless it's a real emergency like being run over then the bill should go to the person bringing the animal in (vets should take their details on arrival) or the vet should turn them away if the animal looks ok. If it's run over then obviously the owner would need to pay and take full responsibility but that's different to people just interfering. The cat could have been brought round to you by the neighbour or like you say the vet could have rung you.

[ForTheSakeOfFuck]

Vri123 They knew that the animal wasn't being brought in by its proper owners though, and they knew who the pet belonged to, but carried out the work first and then got in touch with her afterwards. That's not how you do business.

OP, I'm loathe to suggest any retributions. There are worse things in the world than little old bats being a bloody interfering pain in the backside taking what they think is a bit of care of animals. It's nicer to hear of this than of animal cruelty anyway. All said, I think the onus is on your vet in this case. They knew the context, they acted anyway, and they had other options, not least calling you. In my view they chose to assume the risk and therefore they swallow the cost. Knowing the way my vets operate, that £51 probably paid for a three minute check over, a bit of typing, a receipt, some soothing words, and an extended eyeroll once the lovely old dear was out the door.