Is this the Worst Review a Vet Can Receive?

What a nightmare! I mean…

My heart really goes out to John as this does sound like a horrific experience. However, I’m sure many of you can empathize with the practice’s position regarding getting the payment upfront.

It is a commonly implemented policy and there’s no magic solution to do this without coming off as insensitive, especially when a pet is being euthanized.

Furthermore, it’s not unheard of that a pet owner is taken to court over a negative review.

In July 2019, a Yelp user in Florida named Tom Lloyd told “CBS This Morning” that he was left with more than $25,000 in legal bills after a veterinary practice sued him for defamation over a negative Yelp review. In the review, Lloyd recounted how his dog died at the animal hospital waiting for a surgeon who never showed up.

Intimating a pet-owner into retracting their story is not a sustainable or scalable way of handling reviews. It doesn’t represent the compassionate nature or professionalism that veterinary medicine bestows on its people.

My advice is to always diffuse the situation and sort it out offline if possible. As far as a response is concerned, I actually think Practice Manager Teresa handled the situation well.

When pet owners mention money, it’s never really just about the money. Most of the time they just want to be heard. By offering a chance to speak, it stops the escalation of the whole issue which is a favorable result.

Want to know more about handling negative reviews from a mental and practical standpoint?

We’ve listed 5 handy tips to help vet practices better deal with negative online reviews, so you can take a breather and arm yourself with some guidance before responding to a sour post.