vets lied to me

ambi3009

Hi all I'm new to this I just hope someone can help with some advice please.
Two weeks ago I had to put our beloved dog to sleep. At the time we discussed having his ashes returned.
On the morning after we rang to clarify my dog was still on the premises which was confirmed and was given options on his cremation. We were told we could pay on collection.
A week later we telephoned was told there was a back log at the crematorium and it would take a bit longer. A few days later my partner phoned was asking was there any issues causing the delay he was told no the receptionist even read back the inscription we had chosen and said he would be ready on the Monday. On the Tuesday we phoned to be told they would call us back with an update. Indeed they did to tell us that he would be ready that evening.
In the meantime I had rang the crematorium myself to be told the vets had only had him cremated that day!!!! And a vet staff member had waited for it to be done.
15 days ??? Where has my dog been? The same night my partner had picked him up he didn't know until he came home with him and paid.
I've since asked for their code of practice in which it states animals must be kept for 7 days and 2 checks a week in the freezer must be made.
Obviously not done or they know my dog had been mass disposed. I've written to ask for their version of events I'm awaiting a reply. What do others think ..please be as honest as you can? Thanks x

meritaten

I am so sorry for the loss of your pet. and the distress your Vets have cause you with the cremation of his remains.
I just don't see where you could go with this? they were inept, yes, they caused distress, yes. You could complain to the practice manager and if an apology would help you, I hope you get one.
in future I would avoid them - complaining to a professional body in my opinion would get you nowhere and just prolong the pain.
could you not just go in and ask for his ashes then do whatever you planned?
or do I have your post wrong and you have been given the ashes?

jrtfan

I'm sorry for your loss and for what you've been through with your Vet, as the same thing happened to me many years ago. Our dog was pts as an emergency one Sunday evening. We asked there and then for an individual cremation and the ashes returned, were assured everything would be taken care of and told not to call the Vets to chase anything because the crematorium was especially busy and it might take around 4 weeks for the ashes to come back. The Vets would call us in due course. This was at the start of October.

I left it until early December before calling the Vets and was told in no uncertain terms by the rudest and most snotty Receptionist, that if I hadn't heard anything from themselves yet then it was because there was nothing to tell me, they would call me as and when this situation changed.

Anyway to cut a long story, I chased them again in the February and it transpired that the original paperwork, filled in on that Sunday evening, had been misplaced and nobody knew that our dog was to have an individual cremation. So he was sent for mass cremation instead and his ashes therefore could not be returned. Like you, I was terribly upset by the whole business - to the point where I stopped using that practice and will never go back there again. I wrote to the Head Veterinarian there and received a letter of apology back from him, together with a cheque to cover the cost of the casket and return of ashes we had never had, it was around £45. To be honest, it didn't help to mollify me in the least because by then, it was too late.

Since then, I've had another dog cremated individually (through a different Vet) but last time, I actually collected his body on the day and drove him to the crematorium myself. I was able to push the button to start the belt that took him into the oven and I waited around to take his ashes home straight away afterwards.

One thing I did learn from my second experience, is that the van from the crematorium calls at the practice once each week to collect any bodies etc for incineration and to return any ashes as appropriate. My last dog was pts on Easter Saturday morning last year so he wouldn't have been collected until the following Friday, then returned to the Vet the Friday after that - roughly 14 days all told - had I opted to have his ashes returned. I don't know if this helps you in your situation?

unforeseen

For the 3 dogs that I have had to PTS I have taken them myself directly to pet crematoriums and had them cremated on the day.

I just find it strange to leave one with a vet to get an individual cremation. They are geared up to deal with bodies in bulk for disposal rather than return

iammumtoone

To be fair to the OP they might not have realised taking to the crematorium themselves was an option. I never knew that until reading this thread.

When I've had pets PTS the vet has given me the options of group or individual cremation with the prices, they never say there is a do it yourself option. I understand why they don't supply this information but its not something that everyone would be aware of.

I am sorry for your loss and distress OP but I am not sure what can be done now. I would write to the practice manager to make them aware of the situation so hopefully they put in more training/procedures to prevent the same happening to someone else.

jrtfan

unforeseen wrote: »

For the 3 dogs that I have had to PTS I have taken them myself directly to pet crematoriums and had them cremated on the day.

I just find it strange to leave one with a vet to get an individual cremation. They are geared up to deal with bodies in bulk for disposal rather than return

I do agree with you although, to be fair, it wasn't until after having my last dog cremated that I understood owners were able to do such as you've suggested. The Vets I've used so far appear to offer this as an inclusive service they can provide, in order to relieve owners of the burden in a distressing time. Many other distraught owners probably thought like me, that this was the normal procedure and the way forward. It was only by chance on the last occasion that I happened to Google Pet Crematoria and learnt what else was possible. I'm sure the same must be true for other people having just had their pet pts. Perhaps there is some commission involved for Vets somewhere along the way - I really wouldn't know without enquiring directly with them, and they wouldn't be obliged to tell me, I'll wager! Certainly, I wouldn't have had the presence of mind on either occasion to enquire about my options there and then so it's been a case of live and learn for me. But I will most definitely be doing the same as you in the future, now that I'm aware.

chris_n_tj

I am so sorry for you loss, and the treatment from your Vet. I guess the only good thing to come out of this is, you have your beloved friends ashes back home where they should be. xx


We must have the best Vet walking. When we lost TJ our Vet took him personally to the crematorium. His lovely wife carried him on her knee and we had his ashes back within days. I was in no fit state to do this at the time and I was so grateful to them, but I wouldn't have expected anything else from our lovely Vet. We are lucky to have a wonderful (if you can call it that) crematorium near to us and we knew without a doubt we had Teegs ashes back.

RealGem

So sorry for your loss.

I lost my wonderful dog as well, two weeks ago, and I'm lost without her. Like Unforeseen though, I was able to take her straight from my vets to our local pet crematorium. And I had her ashes back the next day.

The thing with vets is they have to outsource cremations. So logistically it's not going to be straightforward. And yes you will pay more if it's done via the vets. There might be a commission, but the vet would make a markup anyway.

I had heard of horrible situations before involving communal cremations. I was so upset about my dog's death I wanted to take her to the crematorium myself.

I hope you got him back ok. Just cherish how wonderful he was, and don't let the vets hurt you any further.

I hope you don't have to go through any more heartache.

I'm in the middle of sewing a fake fur cushion cover so I can keep my baby girl's sealed ashes in there and cuddle her. And I don't care if that sounds nuts.

Take care

jrtfan

It doesn't sound nuts. My dog's ashes are safely inside a keepsake box which bears his picture on top and I have made my family aware that when the time comes, his ashes are to be poured into the urn with my own and the urn buried.

I'm sorry for your recent loss, too.

chris_n_tj

Not nuts to me either. TJ's ashes are sat at the side of my bed and same thing has been told. His ashes are to be with me when my time comes.
We each have our own way of dealing with things, so whatever if good for the person involved is fine by me xx

Artytarty

I've been told by a vet that they use special bags, of course. They come in two different colours, one for individual cremation and one for communal cremation.
I've never opted for an individual cremation for my pets but I may do in the future.