This story was originally published on my vet school blog, “Wet Cleanup on Aisle 5.”
There are two ends to the spectrum of dog owners: those who refer to their dog’s breed by saying, “He’s a such-and-such… I think,” and those who know that the plural for Keeshond is Keeshonden.
It was the latter that I was dealing with one Friday afternoon, when we’d just about closed up for the weekend and almost everyone had gone home.
I had spoken with her on the phone earlier that day when she’d called to inquire about boarding her two Keeshonden at our facility. I explained, as I do with all our boarding clients, that our vaccine requirements were not necessarily the same as those prescribed by her own vet, and that we needed written proof of certain vaccinations within a given time frame in order for her animals to board with us. No exceptions.
She arrived close to five o’clock with two dogs and no paperwork, and explained that she’d talked to her vet that afternoon and that her dogs were up to date. Furthermore, she didn’t want us giving her dogs any vaccinations with the exception of bordetella. Realizing this meant that her dogs probably weren’t up to date by our standards, I suppressed a sigh and proceeded to call her vet in the hopes that they were still open.
“Up to date,” according to her vet, meant that one of the dogs hadn’t been given a rabies vaccine in over four years, although it had a successful titer a while back. Distemper, too, hadn’t been given in some time, and they requested we not administer it due to the dog’s age.
This is all fine and good, and as a pet owner, I can certainly understand the desire to avoid over-vaccination.1
As an employee running another person’s practice, however, I can also understand the need for strict protocols, particularly when it comes to tossing a bunch of unfamiliar dogs into close proximity in a kennel situation, with the prospect of being held accountable should anything go wrong.
The likelihood of anything amiss happening was small, and the likelihood of the owner raising a fuss and bad-mouthing us to future clients was large. Then again, rules were rules, and this was not my practice.
In the end, I looked at the two obviously healthy dogs and decided to let them stay. But I also politely explained to the owner that they would not be able to stay in the future without the required vaccinations or express permission from our veterinarian.
Did I do the right thing?2
- As a veterinarian, I’m okay with the approach this person’s vet took with regard to these dogs’ vaccines. I’m also okay with my former employer’s approach to vaccines, because running a boarding kennel in a busy tourist town involves quite a bit of potential liability. What I’m not okay with is the expectation on the part of the owner that we would change our rules to suit her needs. It was clear she knew in advance of her visit that her vet’s protocol didn’t match our vet’s, but she chose not to mention it, her vacation being more important than any inconvenience to us. Don’t be the Keeshonden lady.
- See comments for additional discussion.
I’m a current vet student and have worked at many clinics before. I’ve dealt with the type of clients you are talking about many times, and they will always have some type of excuse. If I were in your situation, I wouldn’t have let the dogs board. Especially since you’re running someone else’s practice, it is up to you to be responsible to keep protocol. I realize the chances of something happening are very small, but if anything did happen, it would be on your hands and ultimately could cause a lot of major problems. Also, once a client knows that you’ve bent the rules, news tends to spread around… and you know you can’t make exceptions for everyone.
Dealing with clients like that are always a hassle, but protocol is protocol. That’s why the rules are made in the first place. But all in all, I hope that they don’t cause too much trouble. Good luck!
I completely agree. If I worked in a more traditional setting, I don’t think I would have been willing to break protocol. I think there are two reasons I ended up letting them stay:
1) I’m sure our vet would have relented, had she been there (WWTVD? What Would The Vet Do?)
and the reason she would have relented, other than that the dogs were obviously in good health (and received a clean bill of health from the other vet) is:
2) We live in a small tourist town, and the woman would have been completely out of luck in terms of a place to keep the dogs: very few hotels allow them (and good luck finding a room in the summer), and the other kennel in town would have been closed.
Since she was from out of town, there’s little chance she’d be back, but since a lot of people come here on vacation, there is a chance she’d tell her friends how horrible (or awesome) we were.
Depends on the situation, though, because I have turned away other people in similar circumstances. I think it just boils down to what my vet would have done, and the fact that we are a small clinic in a small town, so I am given some flexibility to make decisions like that. But it doesn’t make me any more comfortable about it!
Haha, that’s true. Actually, those are pretty good reasons to let them stay. And you’re right, if she was from out of town and you DIDN’T let her stay, news of that can also spread around quickly.
I work in NYC and I’m used to fidgety clients though. Too many people there want to bend the rules, just because… It’s too risky for me to let clients through the door with no papers and such. I have to be stern with people. But I guess in your situation it makes a lot more sense. Come to think of it, now I would probably do what you’ve done given the reasons you’ve said. I just hope they don’t cause any trouble!
NYC – wow, yes, that would be a totally different ball game. At least you are getting good practice in being stern! Not a fun thing to practice, but it’s probably a good skill to have. 🙂