06/26/2020
Be kind, treat others with respect and understanding and hopefully once we are on the other side of this craziness we will all have a little more love for everyone and what they have endured. BVC...I’ve got your back!!
What we are about to say is not easy for us. We wish it didn't have to be said, but unfortunately given recent events that have occurred at the Eastern Maine Emergency Veterinary Clinic, we felt it was time for us to raise awareness of the current situations veterinary professionals are dealing with, and to show our support for the EMEVC staff as well as the staff of other area clinics and our own. The veterinary profession seems to currently be dealing with two pandemics - COVID-19 as well as rude and hostile clients. We want take an opportunity to talk about what veterinary professionals are dealing with at the moment with the hope that people on the other side of the clinic door may understand a little better.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly adapted our procedures in order to keep our staff and clients safe while still being able to provide care to your pets which allowed us to stay open. We have worked with new procedures that we had to learn on the fly for nearly four months now. We understand that curbside procedures are not ideal and can be very frustrating for many of our clients. We want to address a few of the concerns we have received with our curbside procedures.
Our biggest complaint received is how difficult it is to reach us by phone. Our call volume has increased to about 3x the normal amount compared to years past. Our veteran clients know how packed our waiting room can be - now imagine everyone in the waiting room trying to call in on top of the normal calls we answer. Our phones are ringing off the hook all day every day. Please be patient with our receptionists as they answer your phone calls. If they have to place you on hold, it’s not because they want to - they are still currently assisting someone else and will be with you as soon as they can.
BVC is continuing with curbside appointments for the foreseeable future. Our decision to continue with curbside procedures is for our safety as well as yours. We have staff members who are at risk for COVID or live with people at risk. Keeping a 6ft distance would be very difficult and every room would have to be heavily sanitized after each appointment if we allowed people into the building. This would only increase wait times and decrease appointment availability even more. We know that it can be stressful for you and your pet by not being present during their appointment, but please know that they are in the best care possible while they are in our building. Lots of love, attention, and treats are given to them in our care. Please know that we are not letting anyone into the building unless it is an extreme circumstance, and the number of years someone has been a client isn’t one of them. We promise we are not singling anyone out. Please don’t get upset with our staff for enforcing this policy - we truly don’t mean to offend or upset.
We are still seeing appointments of all types, from wellness exams to emergencies. Like the emergency clinic, we feel like we are seeing more emergencies from folks who normally frequent clinics elsewhere that are closed or are overbooked. We triage all patients based on their needs much like the emergency clinic does - if your pet is here for a wellness exam and another pet is rushed in ahead of you, there is a reason. We may potentially be addressing life threatening needs of that pet and will be with yours as soon as we can.
We have many, many clients who are amazing BVC cheerleaders and are incredibly supportive of what we do every day. If you are one of them, words can never express how grateful we are for your kindness and unending support - it has kept us going during these difficult times.
Our team has worked harder than ever before throughout this pandemic, through constant policy changes, through curbside appointments in the pouring rain (and snow), and days where it seemed like the hits just kept coming. Everything about our curbside procedures takes longer, and our staff does it every day with compassion and professionalism. Every person in this building gets up in the morning and comes here to do what they love - to have a part in improving the lives of animals who mean so much to our fellow humans. We ask that if you seek care with us, please be kind and polite to our staff. Yelling at, belittling, or threatening our staff (or any veterinary staff) for simply doing our jobs devalues us as professionals and humans, as well as the hard work we do. We will not tolerate any verbal abuse or threats from clients. We all share the common goal of providing the best possible care for your pets - please keep that in mind when coming to see us. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we all weather this COVID-19 storm together.
