£101.67?!?!?!?!

[ChristmasisRuined]

A year ago, DD's Hamster had to sadly be put to sleep. I agreed to let them 'handle' disposal of him due to DD's special needs. She certainly wouldn't have been able to cope with a little burial.
The cost of this, including 'disposal', came to £39 which I thought was reasonable.

Fast forward a year and DD's 1yr old Hamster (who really helped her grieve for the loss of her last little friend) has unfortunately had to be put to sleep this evening as she was really suffering. This was at a different Veterinary practice. They too asked if I'd like to take her home or have them dispose of her. As last time was a reasonable cost which included this, I just agreed to them disposing of her.

So imagine my surprise when I got to the counter after was presented with a bill for £101.27!?!

I paid and when I got home, I called to double check it was correct and yep! Same price for a Hamster as it is for a Cat! Apparently, £30 of it is for them to dispose of her. Now, had I been told this I would've taken her home and buried her myself without DD knowing, as I'm a disabled, widowed parent on a very low income (as I have no choice but to claim disability benefits now). At NO point did anyone tell me that disposal would cost £30 extra. Yes I should've asked but given the other, also independent Veterinary surgery charged just £39 TOTAL last year, I never imagined disposal could cost so much so it didn't seem relevant to ask. Surely if something costs extra, then the morally decent thing to do is to point it out?
Anyway, even without the £30 disposal fee, £71 to put a Hamster to sleep???

I then looked on the website of the Vets I used last year, and their price is now £42 inc disposal for all animals smaller than Rabbits.

Christmas is now pretty much ruined. Due to my circumstances and the COL crisis etc, like many people, I only had £150 budget for DD's presents and the food. Now £101.67 of it has gone when it could've been just £42 down had I used the other practice....

I'm up sh** creek now and could cry. DD is crying because she's lost her little friend and I'm nearly crying because of the cost of it!!

Should I complain? Or is this roughly what others have paid??

Thanks

Was it out of hours? They can be loads more expensive

Why on earth did you pay that much for when you found out the total cost? Sounds like you ruined your own Christmas.

It had already been done! I couldn't refuse to pay. As I say, I fully expected some slightly increased variation of the previous cost

Within normal opening hours

I would write an email explaining your circumstances and ask if they could grant a discount - worth a try

Huh? Why on earth wouldn't you just take it home and bury it yourself without your DC knowing?

1. I had ZERO clue that disposal cost so much

1. DD currently has no school as hers suddenly closed, so she's with me 24/7. As above, I presumed disposal would be included like it was at the other Vets we see last time. As I explained in the OP, they charged me £39 which included disposal

Yes I think I will. I might even ask for the 'body' back as I doubt she's gone anywhere yet. Even a £30 refund would help.

I'm glad she's not suffering anymore but Crikey. Talk about an incentive to leave animals to suffer...

But you could've put it in an outside bin without your DC knowing?

That seems really expensive. Had a chicken pts and left at vets, approx £35. Hope you can sort something out.

I imagine they’ve just binned it with the other animal waste - I doubt you’ll get it back.

Have you paid the bill yet? If you speak to the vets they might let you come to a arrangement to pay over 2 or 3 months?

I think unless money really is no object, the onus is on you to check how much something will cost before agreeing to it!

The way prices are going up at the moment - food has gone up in price with every week, never mind over the course of a year! - it wasn’t a great idea to assume that, at a different vet’s a year later, they were going to charge you the same. And so easy to discreetly bury a little hamster without having to involve your DD.

The only thing you can do is email them to explain but it seems a bit like shutting the stable door too late…

I can understand why you felt like you just had to pay it at the time, and also why you didn’t query it in advance. I don’t think anyone would have expected a 150% increase.

You could contact them and explain the circumstances and that you felt caught out. I’m not sure you’ll have much luck though. So sorry.

If money is tight, your first question about ANY service you are offered, anywhere at all, should be "how much does it cost?"
As PPs have suggested, if you can't get your hamster buried yourself, popping it in an outside wheelie bin would be fine.

Isn't a contract of sale- offer, consideration, acceptance.
They are selling a service without informing you of the price. Therefore 'offer' hasn't been made and there's no contract if sale???

Holy crap! That's insane. Sorry OP, yes, you have been utterly ripped off there. Nobody can defend that sort of ridiculous figure. It's this sort of thing which gives vets the reputation of being rip off merchants. Yes, yes, yes I am very aware of their years of education etc and current price rises but £100 to dispose of a hamster??? Come on.

I hope at least this thread will make others aware not to make the same mistake.

It had already been done! I couldn't refuse to pay. As I say, I fully expected some slightly increased variation of the previous cost
I might even ask for the 'body' back as I doubt she's gone anywhere yet.
They can't both be true though.

We've just paid £400 for DCat to be PTS and cremated. I was gobsmacked

I'm so sorry but now that you've paid it I can't see them reducing the cost and refunding you

Definitely ring around different local vets for a quote in future. They vary enormously and my closest is twice the price of the next nearest - and yes, I discovered this too late as well.

According to the receptionist they're taken up to Durham to be cremated

Yes I paid straight away as I assumed I had to

I am more concerned about your DD currently having no school as it closed suddenly. How can this happen? Where did the other pupils go?

Thank you