vet holding cats ashes hostage

[Saitama]

My poor cat had been at the vet on and off for months, but in the end unfortunately had to be PTS. This was on a weekend and so the cost of it was extortionate, but it would have been cruel if we'd waited until monday. We asked for him to be cremated and to have his ashes back and his paw prints etc.

We've spent several thousand £ at this vet in the last months for my cat, trying to diagnose and treat him, all paid up to date until the PTS. Now I owed £700, I paid 350 of that and set up a payment plan for the rest at X amount per month. But the vets are refusing to give me my cats ashes back until it's paid in full.

All my savings have gone into my cat and I have nothing left, so his poor ashes are just sat at the vet alone and waiting for me and I can't bring him home. I've been with the vets for years with my other animals, have always been a good client, paid on time, never missed an appointment, no reason for them to think I'd just take his ashes and not pay since my other pets are registered there.

It's going to be approx 4-5 months until I can pay the rest of the bill to get my cat back, it feels so cruel of the vet to be holding him hostage like this when taking all the above into account, and how many appointments I had had there with this cat alone. I'd even sent them a card and chocolates after some of the appointments before to thank them for their work etc.

AIBU to think it's super messed up and cruel that they won't just give me his ashes now?

I'm really sorry about your cat but I don't think it's fair to say the vets are "holding the ashes hostage".

You opted for a premium service and now don't have the money to pay for it. That's not their fault.

@fromtheshires ,

‘My vets sold out to one and even if i go to any other vet in this town they are all owned by the same parent company when you really dig - IVC acquisition Midco Ltd. Their directors are directors of hundreds and hundreds of vets. They only care about money.’

Yes, it is totally rapacious cartel like behaviour. I believe they are being investigated for it.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/may/23/uk-watchdog-launches-full-investigation-over-fears-pet-owners-are-overpaying#:~:text=UK%20watchdog%20launches%20full%20investigation%20into%20vet%20fees%20for%20pet%20owners,-This%20article%20is&text=The%20UK%20competition%20regulator%20has,the%20best%20treatment%20options%20available.

Many people would "forget" to pay.

I used to work in a community centre where we hired rooms.
It was fairly standard for groups that had been there for years and we had great relationships with to "forget" to pay the last bill, occasionally going as far as to block our email address or phone number
And often parties would not pay until they wanted to book next year's one, then we started to ask for the money up front for parties and the same people got terribly indignant about "of course they'd pay-they were just a teeny bit late because <giggle> they were a bit disorganised, weren't they?"

Suppose different vets/areas do different things. Mine collects in a pet hearse (whenever you see it you know what's in it sadly) and puts them in a pet bed, calls when they're collecting, call when they've collected and calls when they're dropping the ashes back. You do pay a premium for it though.

It's distressing for you but other customers will have screwed then over so they have to have this policy in place.

Use the time to plan where you will scatter the ashes.

Sorry but your cat is not being held hostage, YOU'RE holding THEIR money hostage.

Pay up, then you'll get the ashes. They're not going anywhere.

4-5 months until you can settle the bill?! I’m sorry but this is ridiculous. In what other industry would this be acceptable? Your vets are a business not a charity or a credit agency. They have overheads, wages and bills to pay of their own and if everyone took months to pay they’d be sinking faster than the titanic.

I think people are pretty heartless here if they have actually read the OP carefully.

The vet charges £400 for putting a cat to sleep and £300 for cremation (when the crematory charged £150).

It was the middle of the night and, at that point, what other options did the OP have than to accept £300 OOH fee? And then the vet probably on sold the cremation option, rather than politely suggesting that home burial would be better.

I'll still be paying monthly during that time. They're free to get a debt collection agency involved if they want their money sooner, but if I don't have money they still can't collect it can they? or do you want me to magic some money out of my arse?

I paid for my glasses over 3 months. They gave them to me straight away.

Sadly, a small number of unscrupulous owners have ruined it for everyone else.

They need to make sure you pay the bill because there are a subset of people who would take the ashes and never be heard from again

I also paid for my DD's carpet over a year. Again had the carpet straight away.

It's very normal in lots of industries to spread the cost including vets.

They’re a business. They’ve probably had a lot of people cancel their monthly payments to pay for bills once they’ve got their ashes back. I can understand why the vets do this.

I think I had to pay last year before my dog was even sent to be cremated.

Did you have a contract or official credit account set up? It is actually illegal for businesses to offer credit without a license.

Sorry about your cat OP.

Maybe the vet is part of a big group (even if the name is still giving the impression it is a small independent vet), in which case they won't have control of the pricing or the policies about e.g. ashes. Even if they wanted to give you benefit of the doubt, it may be out of the vet's control.

For what it's worth, £300 is the out of hours consultation fee where I live too.

I think the vet is being reasonable to be honest. Essentially they have given you an interest free loan and they need to be certain they get their money back. I expect they have had too many bad experiences with previous good customers.

I’m assuming everybody being overly harsh and critical don’t have phone contracts or own any items on finance? Our world wouldn’t survive if everything was paid up front before receiving an item so I don’t agree with a lot of PPs here.

Assuming the payment plan is an official plan with T&Cs and contract then I think they are being unreasonable…..however if they don’t usually offer a payment plan and have done so out of kindness or an informal arrangement then I can understand why they are withholding the ashes.

Im sorry for your loss, vet fees are quite a shock when out of the blue. I hope you get your pet back as soon as you are able.

It’s crap, but to them it’s just a business. I’d find a new vet in the future because of the bad feelings.

Did you keep a clipping of your cat’s fur? Having that means more to me than the box of my cat’s ashes. I was devastated last year when my cat was hit by a car and died, so I understand and I’m sorry. 😞

Really? There isn’t a single vet practice in my area licensed to provide credit. However lots of furniture/carpet retailers are. Not comparable.

But I would love to hear about all these shops that offer credit without a license. No contract, no security, just hoping and praying that they get the money in the end.

Not always

My vets practice remembers me and my pets. When I go in with one they ask how the other pet is doing etc...

You have to be licensed to provide credit like that.

I know I found it very hard to hear both my cats ashes were back and it wasn't easy walking down there to collect them to bring them home, so I totally understand how you feel and you just want him back with you. Also, you've spent all your money and savings trying to keep him comfortable/do the right thing which is the best thing an owner can do for their loved cat.

Sadly, you owe the vet money though and there's many people out there who would just walk away and not pay them, so they need security. My vet actually has a notice in their waiting room wall, saying all bills need to be settled before leaving the premises and I would expect most to operate like this.

Does it make business sense, given that they know OP has other pets? Potentially they are now losing thousands of pounds' worth of future business from her, to say nothing of friends, neighbours and family she may tell about this.