Veterinary malpractice

foreign_correspondent

alenax wrote: »

Do you think there will be any difficulties with getting the written explanation from them?

who knows... - but it is worth asking!

I would complain whether you get one or not - if they refuse, I would ask them to put the refusal in writing - or even better, write to them asking them for an explanation in writing - and keep a photocopy of the letter and proof of postage. Then any response, or lack of one, can be recorded.

walwin

alenax wrote: »

She's also suspicious about the fact that they sent him off to be cremated before they had a chance to say goodbye/to figure out whether they wanted him cremated or not.

QUOTE]

I can't believe that, it's horrendous.

Your poor mum, how awful for her. Not only to lose her beloved cat, but not have the chance to say goodbye.

I'm absolutely beside myself with anger here just imagining it

alenax

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

who knows... - but it is worth asking!

I would complain whether you get one or not - if they refuse, I would ask them to put the refusal in writing - or even better, write to them asking them for an explanation in writing - and keep a photocopy of the letter and proof of postage. Then any response, or lack of one, can be recorded.

Putting the refusal in writing is a really good idea, thank you, will pass the ideas on!

patchwork_cat

They sent the cat to be cremated! Did your mum ask or agree to that on the phone? If not then that is even more wrong, what if your mum had wanted to bring him home to bury him.

alenax

walwin wrote: »

alenax wrote: »

She's also suspicious about the fact that they sent him off to be cremated before they had a chance to say goodbye/to figure out whether they wanted him cremated or not.

I can't believe that, it's horrendous.

Your poor mum, how awful for her. Not only to lose her beloved cat, but not have the chance to say goodbye.

I'm absolutely beside myself with anger here just imagining it

I know, she thinks it's to stop them requesting an autopsy or something... she's spoken to a few people that know that vets quite well and apparently they send them off to cremation on Fridays (all of them) and this happened on a Monday, so it's definitely a bit odd.

alenax

patchwork_cat wrote: »

They sent the cat to be cremated! Did your mum ask or agree to that on the phone? If not then that is even more wrong, what if your mum had wanted to bring him home to bury him.

No, the nurse they spoke to on the phone said it was fine to come say bye to him, then when they did come down 3 hours later, he had apparently already been sent off.

foreign_correspondent

alenax wrote: »

Putting the refusal in writing is a really good idea, thank you, will pass the ideas on!

I would put the initial request for information in writing (and keep a copy) and ask them to respond in writing. I think if you ring them and ask for it not only are they less likely to respond in writing, you have no evidence of making that request.

patchwork_cat

This gets worse and worse. The vets made the arbitary descion to send your cat to be cremated without your mum's agreement? Are you certain that your mum didn't agree to the cremation? If the nurse said it is fine to come and say goodbye then the inference is that your mum agreed to the cremation and that whilst horrible that your mum couldn't say goodbye is just an error whilst if there was no agreement on cremation by your mum then that to me seems a lot worse, stealing?

lowis

they sent the cat for cremation BEFORE they consulted your mum? that is appalling. there are options they should have discussed with your mum i.e. did she want her cat indiviidually creamted, or a mass cremation, and did she even want the cat creamted at all - a lot of people prefer to bury their pets!

so they have been negligent during the operation and now they have been careless with the cat's body? crematoriums usually do a mass cremation once a week i think, they usually collect the pets from the vets once a week (the vet keeps the bodies in freezers) then the crematorium store the bodies in freezers until the mass cremation (or individual cremation) - there is a chance the body is still around. ask the vet for the contact details of the crematorium and ask the vet what sort of cremation he arranged on behalf of your mum and the urn he picked for her the cat's ashes too!!!

i am would be absolutely livid if my vet treated me or my cat like that...definitely complain to the RCVS, i am absolutely gobsmacked.

lowis

i am so cross on your behalf that my typing went to pot too! x