Vet has put our beautiful pictures of my dog/kids thank you card up in waiting room as an illustration of a happy customer, only they put him to sleep 2 weeks ago

[BurningBridges]

Some of you will have seen my threads where I'm going to pieces over my little dog who had to be PTS on 10th March. We were not entirely happy with vets handling of the case and having received the bill are going to talk to him as soon as he gives us an appointment next week.

After months of diahorrea we agreed to an operation which the vet recommended as an "exploratory" and then developed necrotising pancreatitis - the nature of that means that we will never know if he had this as an underlying illness to start with, or if the operation caused it. Anyway, to be fair, the vet then worked for 4 days non stop to try to save his life and we were very grateful, he seemed genuinely remorseful that he'd ever recommended the op in the first place (not as remorseful as I will be for the rest of my life knowing I put a healthy dog through that agony). When our boy came home after 10 days, my DD age 11 made a massive thank you card with ribbons and A4 colour photos of my dog when he was a bit younger he was a handsome creature, and effusive thanks on this card in big lettering. They never displayed it but said thank you very much etc., we got chocolates for the nurses, but I assumed they just put the card on the staff notice board.

Only now over 2 weeks after he had to be PTS after more complications, they have stuck it on their waiting room notice board. DD is devastated as are we - that was a sentiment expressed at the time not now! We appreciate that the staff tried to save him initially, but at the end of his life relationships were not so good and we are now facing a massive bill we can't afford without our beloved dog. Clearly anyone reading the card/seeing the photos etc would think he was still alive. My neighbour's daughter saw the card and told us.

Sorry but am I losing it? How can this be reasonable?

Gosh I think it was insensitive to do that :( I think perhaps a message to the practice manager just expressing what you've said here would be appropriate. I am see why you feel upset.

For what it's worth we don't share thank you message and cards publicly - I'm not sure whether that's right or wrong but I wouldn't feel comfortable with sharing a message intended for us staff with anyone else.

I'm so sorry for what you've been through. I don't know whether it's a situation where someone is to blame or whether your poor dog was just very unlucky to experience rare complications during a procedure to try and help him, but either way it sounds really traumatic x

Hello Burning, I followed your previous post and was sorry to hear what a rough time you went through.

In your situation I think I'd ring them and tell them that you'd like them to take it down as the emotions your DD expressed on the card were relevant at the time she made it but no longer apply as your dog had to be ppts.

No it isn't reasonable of them to use your card in this way, it's incredibly insensitive of them imo and I think they need to be told that it's causing you and your family further distress.

Thank you, I didn't believe this could be ok in anyone's book. I am going in after I take DD to school tomorrow to get the card, 8.30am when they open, I think that's best. Its in the waiting room not behind the counter I'll just take it down and go. I can just imagine the nurses all looking at each other like "what, what did we do?!" etc - crass doesn't cover it.

I'm so sorry this is dragging out for you. It's one thing after another.

As I was reading the posts I thought what I would do is go in and make a big thing of taking it down. Poor you, you don't need this with everything else going on. :(

This morning the DCs were upset - with me - saying that the staff at the vet's clearly loved our dog so much they wanted to put his picture up as it was "all they had to remember him by". When he was an in-patient it was very intense and we relied on staff to do their best for him; I hadn't appreciated how important it is to my DDs that they continue to believe that the staff genuinely cared, and I think up to a point they did. The DCs have seen enough examples in their lives so far of adults being arses so if they haven't seen this through the same eyes as me then I want to accept that as a good thing rather than explain it all to them in detail about how they are only using my dog as advertising.

DH doesn't want to make a fuss - that's a whole other story - however, he did say that we can raise this with the vet at the meeting we are waiting for as an example of poor management and general disregard for us.

I will contact them later and let you know what happens. Thanks everyone.

Oh you poor thing. I don't blame you for not wanting that photo up on the notice board.
I hope your meeting goes well.

As a practice we never ever display our thank you cards in public, they kept in the back office where only staff can see them.
We do keep a book of remembrance, but we only put in photos that clients have specifically given for this purpose.
I think your reaction is completely reasonable.

A book of remembrance is a nice idea. Do you put it in the waiting room Lonecat?

Yes we do keep it in the waiting room.