Our Policies
We have been updating our procedures and policies to meet an increased demand in veterinary care.
Communication Policy-The most immediate change is that all of our appointments and reminder communications will be sent out by TEXT. We hope that this provides a way for you to respond easily at a time that is convenient for you. If you need to update the primary phone number for your account, just call or text us during office hours. We will continue to have a knowledgeable veterinary service answer all calls after hours. Easy to remember and respond to, our phone number will now also receive texts and fax. So please store (609)971-9669 in your phone so you never miss an important message. It is important to know that choosing STOP or opting out will end all LOVC communication. You may choose to opt in again, but in the meantime you may have missed important reminders concerning your pet’s health. Our hope is that faster communication, easy to read appointment details and photo sharing will place answers to your pets care closer than ever before.
Confirmation Policy-Confirmation of your appointment within 24 hours is now REQUIRED. You will receive a text 48 hours prior to your appointment. Easily respond with the letter C, or even a 👍 to confirm your appointment. (Of course if you want to chat, we will see that too and be able to text you right back!) Unconfirmed appointments will be canceled and reassigned to patients in need.
Late Policy-We ask that you arrive before your scheduled appointment time so you may benefit from your full exam time. New client,sick and patient history forms should be completed 24 hours in advance to help our medical team prepare for your pet’s visit. A grace period of 10 minutes will be granted for unforeseen delays that you may encounter while traveling to our office. If you arrive more than 10 minutes late for an appointment, we will offer options of being seen as a day admission, or rescheduled if our schedule permits. We strive to ensure clients and patients are seen in a timely manner and appreciate your on-time arrival.
No-Show Policy-If you are unable to keep an appointment, notify us by phone at least 24 hours in advance to reschedule your appointment so we may help another patient in need. Missed appointments will require prepayment of the exam fee when rescheduling. When this prepaid appointment is kept, the fee will be applied to the invoice. If the prepaid appointment is not kept, the fee will be forfeited. Regrettably, if you miss three appointments, we will terminate the veterinary-client-patient relationship.
Payment Policy.
We will be transparent about fees and share prices whenever clients ask whether it’s a checkup or an emergency. Before any patient is hospitalized for surgery, or dentistry, we will provide a treatment plan that explains services and fees and get a signature on consents. For your convenience, we accept cash, checks, and credit or debit cards. We offer financing options through Care Credit. If medical circumstances unexpectedly change, we promise to keep you informed on care as well as costs. You may ask about the cost of your pet’s care at any time.
Mutual Respect Policy.
Our compassionate and knowledgeable team can answer your questions and concerns, including our client service representatives, licensed technicians, veterinary assistants, managers and trainers. All team members should be treated with the same respect as our doctors. If team members are relaying advice or information, they have been authorized and trained by the doctors to provide this communication. We take pride in a mutually respectful relationship that benefits you, your pet, and us. We reserve the right to terminate client relationships that do not honor this policy.
Small Business Policy- We are proud to be a small business. We strive to work with regional and small businesses to provide us with their services and products. We make decisions to favor the support of small businesses. We ask that you consider that the products provided by your veterinarian have been researched thoroughly and are the highest quality for your pet. Our entire team, from reception to the doctor is formally educated about the proper storage and administration of each product we prescribe. We are here to provide support and answer any questions you may have. In fairness continue to provide prescription approvals and written prescriptions at no cost. We only ask that you consider comparing the value of your options.
Medical Records and VCPR Policy.
By law, we must establish a veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) to provide medical care for your pet. This is established when your doctor physically examines your pet within the past 365 days. A VCPR is required to request refills of prescription medications and foods, and ask questions about health status and behavior. We cannot provide these services if we do not have a legally valid VCPR. You are entitled to a complete and thorough copy of your pet’s medical records at any time, including transferring them to a third party for adopting new pets, housing verification, or scheduling of boarding, daycare, training, or veterinary specialist appointments. Medical Records will be transferred by your request by the next business day. Record transfers or inquiries may only be made by the listed agent(s) on the account.
New Clients–Will be expected to provide existing records prior to scheduling an appointment. Our technicians will then review and record all medical history and suggest the most appropriate appointment. You will be required to reserve your appointment with a $50.00 deposit. The deposit will be applied to this completed appointment. This deposit will be forfeited if this appointment is failed. A non-refundable examination fee will be required to reschedule this appointment. We only schedule a limited number of new client appointments. This policy allows us the time to provide care for all the needs of existing clients.