Vet practice and masks - aibu?

[WeirdlyKind]

Just driven my mum to the vets with her dog for a routine injection.

She has copd and lung damage from Covid which means only one lung works. This means she gets breathless very easily and masks make it worse. She does regular LF tests and we both had a negative one this morning.

The receptionist in the vets was very snotty with her, refused to accept she had a genuine medical exemption and told her she either had to wear a mask or stay outside. They also insisted it is still a legal requirement.

Mum decided to go outside which meant I had to take the dog in for the appointment and couldn't answer a couple of questions because I didn't know.

It just felt like a horrible, stressful experience for no reason.

Aibu?

Yanbu!!

What's going on, our vets is the same. Only place being difficult

You must complain. Your mum is exempt from mask-wearing and that's all they need to know.

The vet is allowed to make their own policies re: masks but they are being massively unreasonable by not allowing for exemptions to the policy (not to mention legally discriminatory in this case as your mum's exemption is disability related).

Write, make a call to the practice manager, just as you would for a GP.

That was discrimination against a person with disability and the receptionist had absolutely no right to call your mother a liar!

Businesses can make their own rules, if you don't like it then go elsewhere. You have no idea if the vet or staff have lung issues too, or if their families are having cancer treatment. Its not all about you ffs

It is illegal to refuse someone access to goods or services for reasons related to a protected characteristic such as disability. Refusing to allow her inside because she was unable to wear a mask due to disability is discrimination so in this case it really is all about her and her rights.

Change vets! We found a really lovely one who doesn't get on like that. I'm in NI so mine is probably no good to you though.

Our vet doesn't let anyone in without a mask either yet
Doesn't matter the reasons

Sorry to hear about your Mum's illness but she could have handled it by contacting the practice manager in advance. If they still said no, she could contact another practice. It is a private business and the vets/nurses and other clients have the right to feel safe.

@Pixiedust1234

Businesses can make their own rules, if you don't like it then go elsewhere. You have no idea if the vet or staff have lung issues too, or if their families are having cancer treatment. Its not all about you ffs

No they can't. There are laws about discrimination fortunately.

Complain in writing.

It is a private business and the vets/nurses and other clients have the right to feel safe.

They don't have the right to discriminate against someone, either directly or indirectly, for reasons related to a disability.

As long as the vets refuse entry to everyone without a mask and not just those with a disability, then there is no discrimination .

@Sugarplumfairy65

As long as the vets refuse entry to everyone without a mask and not just those with a disability, then there is no discrimination .

This is what ours does

@Pixiedust1234

Businesses can make their own rules, if you don't like it then go elsewhere. You have no idea if the vet or staff have lung issues too, or if their families are having cancer treatment. Its not all about you ffs

They're not allowed to discriminate against people with disabilities.

The receptionist was in the wrong here.

There is still discrimination. She is unable to wear one due to a disability therefore is excluded from having the opportunity to put on a mask and go in, they are denying her a service due to disability.

Yabu

Our vets won’t let anyone in without a mask. Anyone who can’t or wont wear one is given the option of staying in the car park and having the vet come out to collect the pet there.

@TenoringBehind

Our vets won’t let anyone in without a mask. Anyone who can’t or wont wear one is given the option of staying in the car park and having the vet come out to collect the pet there.

Same here

Ours will call the owner while they're doing the consultation as well to chat.
I think your can still do the zoom video calls too

Vets have been bloody ridiculous during covid IMO

I changed vets because of this! I said as it's no longer a legal requirement I didn't think to bring one but if they had disposable ones I was happy to wear one. The receptionist absolutely lost her shit about why the practise should not have to provide one. I was honestly

The service was carried out, assuming the dog had the required injection.

Appointments don't usually last more than 5 minutes or so do they? I think most people can wear a mask for 5 minutes, even with health conditions.

The vet is entitled to set their own rules and work in a way that they believe best keeps everyone safe.

At out vets we no longer go into the consulting room with the pet. The vet comes and talks to us outside the consulting room and then takes the pet into the room. I'm not sure if that's change since restrictions have been dropped but it was still like that last month.

Covid cases are rising steeply. Not being in the room with the vet without a mask is potentially keeping your mum safer as well as the vet. You could have phoned her outside to answer the questions you couldn't answer.

I hate it
But then I kind of think if my vet had got covid and not been available for my pet I would not be happy so....
But I think it's atrocious hearing the stories of people not being able to be with their animal when they were put down in the midst of covid
I would be seething and heartbroken if that happened to me

@Wizzbangfizz

Vets have been bloody ridiculous during covid IMO

Completely agree. My new vets is wonderful so best thing I ever did was switch.