February 1, 2022
Dear PPVS clients and community,
Over the last several years, annual price increases have been necessary to account for inflation and cost of living increases as a standard part of our business. During the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic (the last 12-20 months), we have experienced an additional significant increase in the cost of doing business from our vendors and suppliers. Our costs for inventory, space, staffing, and time also continue to increase exponentially.
Effective February 2022, you may notice that our prices for medications, diets, labs, and our services have increased. This is an unavoidable part of being able to remain open with qualified staff to provide the care you have come to know and expect for your beloved pets. We believe in treating your pets as if they are our own and we understand that this may be an inconvenience for you. We are able to provide estimates for care prior to service – simply speak with anyone helping you to discuss your pet’s treatment and associated costs.
It is because of you, our loyal clientele, that we are able to continue to provide the very best veterinary care for your pet. As a private and family-owned small business, we THANK YOU for trusting us to be part of your pet’s family.
Sincerely,
Partner and Paws Veterinary Services
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October 1, 2021
Dear Clients of Partners and Paws Veterinary Services,
As with many other businesses, our clinic has faced challenges over the last year and a half, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Some of those challenges include:
- Recommended person-to-person contact restrictions from the CDC and other governing agencies forced protocol change resulting in curbside options, and limiting in-person contact inside the building.
- Qualified staff shortage and availability. We are currently experiencing an almost 30% reduction in staff and qualified staff are difficult to find.
- Increased pet ownership and associated demand for veterinary services across the veterinary industry.
- Recent immediate family emergencies over the last couple months for both of us have also resulted in the reduction of appointment availability to allow us the much needed time with our loved ones.
As mentioned, pet ownership has increased significantly while the number of qualified veterinary staff has not. Demand for veterinary services is at an all time high as many people are home more often and we, like other veterinary business, are doing our best to keep up with this demand. We have had some clients express frustration (both verbally and in written reviews) over how we have to do things in this climate. Our staff are working tirelessly on the phones, running back and forth between patients, keeping our over-booked schedules running as smoothly as possible. We cannot do any of this without them – yet they face the brunt of the frustration and anger. Our staff does everything and more that we ask of them. Please, be respectful and patient. If you feel you need to express your frustration, please ask to speak to or email our Practice Manager. We will not allow verbal abuse to be directed at our staff.
We love our patients/clients and our mission is to treat every pet as if they were our own. At the end of the day when we finally go home, we often are worrying about ALL of our patients that we saw that day and those that we had to refer to emergency for care. If we have had to refer you to emergency, it is not because we don’t care – it’s with serious thought and consideration to balance our staff and resources against your pet’s medical needs. We will never compromise patient care to fit in another and we ask for your continued understanding. If you feel yourself getting frustrated, please ask yourself “What if it was my pet back there? Would I want resources taken away from them?”
Partners and Paws Veterinary Services has always been available to our community, but due to increased demand for services and decreased supply of staff, we were forced to make the difficult decision to significantly limit the number of new clients that we can accommodate. We truly apologize for any disappointment this creates! But we ask that those that are hoping to transfer care to us, to please keep us in mind and keep checking back! We do hope to be able to open our schedule more as challenges ease.
Some things our existing clients may notice:
- Increased wait times for scheduled appointments. We are busier than ever, and availability for all types of appointments is limited. Wellness appointments may be scheduled several weeks out. Please plan ahead when looking at your pet’s annual wellness visit.
- Medication refill requests may take longer than usual. We ask for 36 hours to complete requests, but sometimes that is extended further if shipping from our vendors is backlogged. Please plan ahead when looking at your pet’s medication and food needs.
- If your pet is sick, we may ask you to drop your pet off with us, so we can address their needs in-between our already over scheduled day. Your pet will still receive the care you have come to know and expect, just not on a set schedule. We will maintain communication with you throughout your pet’s stay and develop a plan together.
- Extended hold times for phone calls. We have a limited front desk staff and they are doing all that they can to field the increased number of phone calls, e-mails, and in-person needs. If you have a non-urgent request for medications or appointments, feel free to email us at info@partnersandpaws.com.
To our wonderful clients, thank you for your continued loyalty and patience. We look forward to continuing to provide the very best care to your pets!
Our best,
Alexis Newman, DVM & Tim Brandes, DVM