To make a formal complaint to the vet surgery?

[Undies1990]

Today, after taking my cat to the vet, he was given back to me in the car park by the vet. The vet put the cat box on the tarmac behind my car and to my absolute horror, my cat escaped because the door of the cat box hadn't been closed/locked properly by the staff inside the vet surgery.

Covid means customers cannot go inside the vets and have to hand over their animals in the car park.

I am relieved that I did eventually manage to get hold of my cat and put him back into the box after a very stressful time in the car park which is right next to a very busy main road. The vet was extremely apologetic but I didn't complain at the time because I was stressed, shaking and just wanted to get my cat home.

AIBU to make a formal complaint or should I just let it go? Mistakes happen and all that ...

Thank goodness you caught your cat! If you can think of any measures that might make handover a safer id consider getting in touch and suggesting that. Hopefully it was just a one off, very scary.

I just had an email about a dog that a specialist vet centre has lost after major heart surgery. He got off a slip lead and still has a cannula in. Really hope he is found, it's horribly cold and windy tonight. Details attached for anyone in the area...

A safer handover might be putting the carriers outside of the clinic, but against the building with the carrier opening against it, rather than in a car park.

There would be less angst if it was a human IMO.

Please don't complain OP. I'm sure the vet is mortified already and has probably had a terrible day thinking about what could have happened.

No one becomes a vet if they don't really love animals, they have the same number of years training as doctors but generally earn much less.

The shock of what happened will be lesson learned enough, just try and forget about it.

I really don’t see the point in complaining. They are in their job for the love of the animals and they will obviously be aware of what has happened. I am sure they are horrified at the risk to an animals safety and will be double checking.

Well said Noconceptofnormal and TheEC

Shit happens, but all was well in this case. I also would like to know what could be achieved by making a complaint.

Now if I were a cynic I would think it might involve a discount on a future visit to said VET. Ooops sorry, ban incoming.

I’d be fucking raging.

Happy you recovered your cat.

Your vet is an idiot.

It was an accident. What would complaining achieve? Apart from making the vet feel even worse than they already did.

Yes make a complaint. It may mean this does not happen again.

I would be absolutely raging OP. So glad you got your cat back.
If it was me, I would want ring up to have a moan and express my annoyance, but given that I don't think it would achieve anything, would just be very thankful that the accident didn't end up another way.

I also would like to know what could be achieved by making a complaint. a rethink about their process for collecting and dropping off, as I’ve suggested upthread

I would complain. In my area this has happened twice and has resulted in one cat getting run over and killed and one cat still missing one year on 😭 they need to be more careful! To be fair to my vets though, they now make the owner check the carriers before they take them out of the door!!

Wonder if there would be so much rage about a human. Think about it and how many threads have been opened about such things involving humans.

But then again Cats are our masters we are their maids at the end of the day!

My view is do not complain. FWIW.

I still value humans above animals, so kill me now.

I’ve not read about a human escaping from a cardboard box in a car park.

The vet would probably have been horrified by this too. I can see how it was very stressful for you as an owner though. I think you've come to the right decision not to make a formal complaint but it is tough (and I talk as a very protective dog owner!).

I know I accidentally do things I don't mean to at work and find it really sad when people complain but maybe I need to toughen up!!

OK Jay,

But there have been many human issues regarding malpractice also. But guessing that you don't have much care about that.

Some (not saying you) have much more empathy with animals than humans.

Nah I wouldn't make a complaint. The vet was mortified from the sounds of it.

Some cats are good escape artists mind. We have to hold the carrier box door closed with one of our cats as she will push against it hard enough to force it open, no matter how well you tighten the bolt bits. Maybe your cat had done that and the vet didn't notice?

Bloody annoying when the cat does it at home and I end up late to the vets trying to get it back in the box.

For goodness sake, what is a complaint going to achieve? The staff made a mistake, they didn't do it on purpose, and the vet has probably mentioned it to them anyway. Just move on and let it go. And I say that as a cat lover.

It is possible to care about people and animals. So coming on a thread moaning that people don’t care just makes you look peevish.

I think you should just email the manager and let them know what happened. And get them to send a memo round to all staff about making sure that cat carriers are secure before taking them out to the client. And hopefully put another procedure in place e.g carrier must be checked by two members of staff.... (not always possible though)

Of course this shouldn't happen, but we are all human and we make mistakes. It wouldn't have been on purpose.

The staff will be thinking about this for a while and they will be mortified about it - and so relieved the cat is ok!

I'd have been absolutely frantic if this had happened to my cat. I'm so glad you got kitty back safely.

However, I'm sure the vet was horrified too. Vets are animal lovers and there's no way they would deliberately risk an animal's safety. I'm pretty sure the vet will already be tightening up procedures to make sure that mistake doesn't happen again.

I don't think a complaint will actually achieve anything more. Mistakes do happen and it isn't always necessary to make someone take the blame.

There wouldn’t be the same thread about a human because small dependant humans don’t get passed back to their owners in a box

OP, I would probably want to have a chat with the manager when I was less shaken up. I would be traumatised if this were me, my cats are indoor and I think it’s unlikely I’d get them back so I would definitely be speaking to them about it. At our vet they are handed back to us at the door outside, but by the vet that has seen them. Perhaps they will rethink their process.

Yes, you should complain. Who cares if the vet is mortified, what kind of clinic doesn't check a pet carrier is secure before moving it?

Your vet is an idiot.

Doubtful.

What are you hoping to achieve by complaining?

I wouldn't describe it as an accident ( as so many have) that a cat box wasn't closed properly by a professional; I'd call it incompetence. I would write to the manager and suggest (as someone has here) that they review their hand over practices and that cat/rabbit etc. boxes are left positioned with the opening flap against a door and owners check they are secured before picking them up.