People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

Re: People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

Dagmar Steele — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:27:44 GMT

I have very much understanding for this kind of rant, have been there, done that as I'm not able not to fix a fixable animal.

But you always meet twice in life :-) I moved premises within the area and changed my surname (marriage) pretty much at the same time a couple of years ago, and would you believe it, hey presto, there they all were again, the open bills, the give-the-wrong-adress-ones and so on. After a couple of days I left the open debtors folder sitting on the desk and made them all pay their old debts before I'd even look at the pet. I had a field day and enjoyed the look on their faces when I entered the consulting room. it was a wonderful couple of weeks/months :-D

Re: People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

Lorna McHardy — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:13:27 GMT

[quote user="KMurphy"]

That's part of the reason I'm annoyed about it - I pretty much allowed it to happen. My own stupid fault.

[/quote]

I don't think there's anything remotely stupid about having a sufficiency of care and compassion to want to fix a sick and wholly fixable puppy! Isn't that why we do this job in the first place? And we do have a degree of social responsibility as well as our commercial interests... otherwise we could just charge what doctors do, add a markup for knowing about more than one species, and if the owners can't afford that, kill the beast and be done with it. It's a matter of - as usual - finding the right balance between getting ripped off and making a decent living. That said, those are the kind of owners it would be so nice to meet again, so you could grasp them firmly by the throat.

[quote user="KMurphy"]

I'm feeling better since my rant, so thanks everyone. I do believe in karma - I think the universe works these things out for us. Maybe I just watch too much "My Name is Earl" but I'm kind of hoping that the puppy grows up and gives the owner a painful (but not life-threatening!) bite!

[/quote]

In which case, the dog would be put down and the owner would get a new dog to ruin... sort yourself out, Universe.

Re: People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

KMurphy — Wed, 30 May 2012 09:36:19 GMT

[quote user="Laurence Webb"]Although if they said they had no money but someone handed them their shopping and asked them to pop back in with the money next week you'd think that Tescos were mugs who were asking for it[/quote]

That's part of the reason I'm annoyed about it - I pretty much allowed it to happen. My own stupid fault.

Re: People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

Bob Russell — Wed, 30 May 2012 09:31:16 GMT

We had a very good practice manager years ago and he claimed to have worked out what was reasonable for a practice of our size to lose in unpaid bills/fraud/ratbags etc and this was labelled the "Social Fund".

He told us not to worry until that was used up for a set year as it was not worth getting into a stew over! When we had this type of problem he would do a quick sum on the back of a piece of paper, look over sagely and say 'not a problem'.

I don't think the calculations were genuine and he did follow up bad debtors hard but at least it kept our blood pressure down!

He would not let us come to him with a 'problem' because they would magically become opportunities! He was a great asset to the practice.

Re: People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

Rob Reid — Tue, 29 May 2012 22:19:48 GMT

OP - feel your pain, had a similar client pull a fast one on a colleague of mine a few years ago. Funnily enough that was a SBT with a FB as well. We actually had an address for her but by the time she got taken to the debt collectors we found out that she a stack of CCJs against her.

I actually had a pleasent surprise tonight.

6.50pm (10 mins before) had a walk-in - 4 lads turned up in a roofing lorry, whelping JRT with a 'hung' puppy for want of a better term, obviously not registered etc etc.

One hour and one C-section later I have 2 bouncing live puppies and they paid in cash! A nice end to what has been one of those days where you just never seem to get a break.

(Of course when the banking is done later this week will probably find out that the notes are all forgeries...)

Re: People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

Mark Hedberg — Tue, 29 May 2012 20:14:23 GMT

Of course not. It's a well known fact that dogs pay for themselves with all those valuable puppies they crank out! :p

Re: People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

Laurence Webb — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:44:43 GMT

[quote user="KMurphy"]If they walked out of Tesco without paying the police could be involved[/quote]Although if they said they had no money but someone handed them their shopping and asked them to pop back in with the money next week you'd think that Tescos were mugs who were asking for it.

Sadly people like this play emotional blackmail and feel no shame to screw you over. They are probably quite proud of themselves. You need to take a deep breath, accept the loss and avoid it happening again. Easier said than done though.

I've just seen a financial crisis in the making tonight - nice owner who was in with a CKCS for first vaccinations. As it was 7mths old I asked why she hadn't chosen to do it earlier. She couldn't afford it. Fair enough, but she then told me that she was planning to breed it with her other dog when it was older. If it requires a caesar then how is that going to get paid? I did ask her to consider this, but I don't think she was listening.

Re: People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

Rob Davis — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:06:00 GMT

[quote user="KMurphy"]Why, oh why, can we not name and shame these people [/quote]

Probably because the name they gave you isn't genuine!

Years ago I got stung vaccinating a litter of lurcher puppies. Owner, calling himself Mr X told receptionist he would pay at second vaccination, you can see where this is going.....

About a year later he came in with a different dog, now calling himself Mr Y. The receptionist recognised him and forwarned me enabling me to go to the waiting room and call in Mr X.... strangely enough Mr Y got up to come in. Not surprisingly when challenged he claimed to have misheard, and no, he had never set foot in the place before. We never got the payment, but at least it made me smile at his discomfort! (and we never saw him back again)

Re: People who don't pay - just need a rant!!!!

Simon Neuhoff — Tue, 29 May 2012 18:54:08 GMT

Not going to offer any solution cause I don't have them - but definitely some sympathy. Best way to deal with it is take it on the chin and be pleased that you've had a good outcome for the puppy. Easy to say but getting wound up about it only affects YOUR health and sense of well being. Do your best to forget about/chalk it up to experience and move on.