Talk to us about an affordable monthly payment to cover the costs of regular preventive medical care. Kitten/Puppy Wellness Plans Adult/Senior Pet Wellness Plans
To our valued clients;
At Riverside Small Animal Hospital we have always endeavored to service our clients and patients with a commitment to excellence in medicine, surgery and care that we offer and the compassion in which it is delivered.
We are dedicated to our clients and the broader community to which we serve. However, the last few years have provided many challenges here at Riverside and in the broader veterinary community. With COVID 19, increased demand, and the national veterinary staffing shortage, combined with unanticipated health issues within our staff we have had to make changes as we navigated through these challenges. We are grateful for your patience and understanding when wait times and sudden booking changes have occurred.
While we continue our effort to recruit additional veterinarians to maximize our capacity for care, we have made a decision to change how we offer care when the office is closed. This change will result in an increased availability of services to our existing patients during regular working hours so that routine and urgent care appointments can be booked in a more timely manner.
Going forward, we will have your after-hours calls answered by a licensed veterinary technician who may not be one of us, but who is a member in good standing within B.C. This veterinary technician will be able to assess what is going on and evaluate how urgently your pet will require veterinary care. If deemed urgent, they will be directing you to Fairfield Animal Hospital in Kelowna which is a fully staffed, 24-hour care facility dedicated solely to treating emergencies and critical care. We feel that your companions will receive exceptional care there. Moreover, Fairfield Animal Hospital will be providing us with a summary of the call and recommendations so that we can ensure continuity of care. If the triaging technician asserts that your pet can safely wait, please call reception during regular business hours to arrange for your pet to be seen.
We recognize that this will be an adjustment for all of us. Be assured that our goal is to always be able to provide you, our clients, with the best care for your pets. With this new adjustment in after-hours care for our patients, we will have more room in our schedule for routine appointments, urgent care, and surgeries, during our regular working hours. We do believe this change will ultimately serve the majority of our clients and patients best. Once our capacity for care has increased by the addition of another veterinarian (or two!), we will aim to extend our working hours back into the weekends and potentially into the evenings as well to provide for you to the best of our ability.
We know that no one can love your pet as much as you but we are committed to trying!
Thank you for entrusting us with your pet's care.
Sincerely,
Riverside Small Animal Hospital Team