Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Bob Russell — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 17:31:43 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]They can take me off the list if they want[/quote]While on the subject of Dogs Trust lists - anyone cooperating with them over free micro-chipping? I'm not.

[/quote]

No. It devalues microchips. Had some unskilled oaf doing some nearby. I've replaced two that have failed or gone missing already......

[/quote]

Yup! So have we!

Bring on the new compulsory training courses!!

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 16:23:31 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]They can take me off the list if they want[/quote]While on the subject of Dogs Trust lists - anyone cooperating with them over free micro-chipping? I'm not.

[/quote]

No. It devalues microchips. Had some unskilled oaf doing some nearby. I've replaced two that have failed or gone missing already......

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 13:02:12 GMT

But that is my frustration..... the neutering and chipping are done under Dogs Trust schemes and, to all intents and purposes, the clients think that the Dogs Trust is paying their bill. They will think that the vet's fees have been paid in full. They will be oblivious to the fact that their vet is also paying a significant part of their bill!

I happily give to charity, and will happily do so anonymously. But I'm basically donating money directly to my clients, but with all their thanks going to the Dogs Trust. The Dogs Trust makes no effort to point out that these vet practices are also subsidizing the bill. So wrong.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Neil Wheadon — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 11:47:55 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]No but the big practice down the road is! Why a charity should think hard earned money should be spent providing free chips to clients able to afford them, escapes me! Not sure the chipping practices are that likely to benefit that much from the goodwill.[/quote]

I try to tell everyone that the Dogs Trust who are a charity are offering this service and that a donation would be appreciated, weither or not it had any effect on the breeder that had a litter of 8 puppies done under the Dogs Trust I have no idea.

Neil

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Bob Russell — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 14:48:00 GMT

No but the big practice down the road is! Why a charity should think hard earned money should be spent providing free chips to clients able to afford them, escapes me! Not sure the chipping practices are that likely to benefit that much from the goodwill.

Someone needs a reality check at Dogs Trust. I accept they want to keep costs down but most practices are not in a position to subsidise a large, national charity.

We do little work for them (our clients with rehomed dogs). Dogs Trust have burnt all the charity goodwill bridges as far as I am concerned.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 14:31:27 GMT

Not us

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 14:29:26 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]They can take me off the list if they want[/quote]While on the subject of Dogs Trust lists - anyone cooperating with them over free micro-chipping? I'm not.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 14:10:14 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

I know of one veterinary surgeon who's been removed from the Dogs Trust list - because he asks for top-ups.

[/quote]

It was policy before we took over and I've stuck to it. They can take me off the list if they want - nearest practice is 13 miles away....

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 14:05:45 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

From the dogs trust website:

If you are on one of the benefits listed and live in the correct area you simply take along some proof of benefit when taking your dog in to be neutered to one of our participating vets. The vet will only charge you £30 in UK regions or £15 in Northern Ireland; the rest of the cost will be settled with us directly by the vet.

Does nobody else find this statement annoying?

[/quote]

No. Or do I mean yes? Anyway, I agree with you. I find it very annoying.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 12:14:50 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"] I simply won't carry out a bitch spay for less than it costs me[/quote]I do agree with that but it is sometimes difficult to quantity what that cost is. In terms of stuff used it is obviously a lot less but do you factor in overheads, your's and your staff time as well which is something that in effect is already paid if this is additional work not replacing paying customers? Its not that easy.

Someone came in the other day with an RSPCA voucher for £80 to spay a 4 year old Staffie. I told them I would not do it for that and they would have to pay me another £70 which would still be less than my normal mature bitch spay fee. He agreed to pay that in instalments and the RSPCA had told him that he might have to pay an additional fee. The irony again is that the cheap practice up the road will routinely spay for a lot less than my standard fee but he didn't have transport to get there. .

I haven't had anyone come in for a spay on a wing and a prayer for the Dogs Trust bearing just their proof of benefit, they've always come in with a voucher with proof that the Dogs trust will pay.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 12:07:02 GMT

I know of one veterinary surgeon who's been removed from the Dogs Trust list - because he asks for top-ups.

Wynne

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 11:50:41 GMT

From the dogs trust website:

Does nobody else find this statement annoying?

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 11:41:22 GMT

We take RSPCA vouchers and CPL vouchers, and also carry out cheaper neutering for our local cat charity. I simply won't carry out a bitch spay for less than it costs me, while propagating the idea that dogs trust are the ones paying for it!!!! I bet the staff at dogs trust get a full wage packet! (I also strongly object to their non-euthanasia policy, which doesn't help their case.)

Michael...you aren't supposed to ask for a top-up. I would happily accept them otherwise....but the last time I saw a voucher, it specifically stated that the client should not be asked for any more money.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 11:38:54 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Dennison"]Have to say this is my approach. We do subsidised neutering for Dogs Trust and Cats Protection,[/quote]The difference between CP, Dogs Trust and RSPCA for that matter, in my area at least, is that they do the almoning so if they don't give a sh*t why should I?! With C4 I effectively do it for them which leaves an added layer of responsibility. I do sometimes try to appeal to the owner's conscience and tell them that if they are abusing the system some other poor person may not be able to to make use of it if the money runs out. Occasionally this works but not often as they usually are so brass necked that they don't care.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 11:08:02 GMT

Agree with Martin and Anthony.

Wynne

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Anthony Dennison — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 11:04:54 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]However as the likelihood is that if we don't neuter these they'll not get them done and just add to the unwanted pile of kittens, C4 tell me that they'd rather I ignore this and just do them.[/quote]

Have to say this is my approach. We do subsidised neutering for Dogs Trust and Cats Protection, and I would rather just get them neutered to prevent problems in the future with breeding/pyos

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 10:13:18 GMT

I do very little work for the Dogs Trust but tons of cat neutering on the C4 scheme (this is peculiar to London). There are many who seem to be milking the system including some from the local stack 'em high and sell 'em cheap practice who charges half our fee for a standard spay (I charge C4 about 1/3 our standard fee) but which doesn't support the charity. Am I alone in seeing the irony in this?

The worst offenders I have to say (and no I'm not about to vote UKIP or become a reader of the Daily Frightener) are Asian families who all live in a £1 million house and rock up in a huge Merc saying the cat is the mother's (who just happens to live with them as part of the extended family). Or Eastern European benefit seekers who not satisfied with milking the state and get a pet they can't afford then milk the charity as well. Then there's mature 'students' who look like they have more money than me and people from outside the catchment area and live in very expensive neighbourhoods. However as the likelihood is that if we don't neuter these they'll not get them done and just add to the unwanted pile of kittens, C4 tell me that they'd rather I ignore this and just do them.

I'm feel better for getting that of my chest.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Anthony Dennison — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 09:53:51 GMT

Just had a flyer through to advertise free neutering for Bull breeds (excluding english and frenchies) in March through Dogs Trust; our practice will be doing this too.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 09:11:30 GMT

I do it not for the owners' sakes, but because I'm a firm believer in the prevention of all non-affordable conception.

Wynne

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

CatherineThomas — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 07:28:15 GMT

We had a case a while ago of a dogue de bordeaux who came in out of hours having to be re-operated on to control haemorrhage. She'd been spayed that day in London and come back home to north Suffolk. We thought this was all a bit weird, when we called the practice the next day we found out that the spay had been done using a dogs trust voucher because it had been registered under the owner's daughter. Obviously we charged properly for the out of hours care so she ended up paying a lot more than she would have for a spay!

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 00:09:24 GMT

We accept them but charge the usual price MINUS the value of the voucher. I'm happy to help people out, but not do the op for less.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Gillian Mostyn — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 23:00:07 GMT

We dont, and never have, accept dogs trust vouchers. I am surprised so many vet practices do really.

Do practices that accept them do anything in particular to inform the client that the practice is heavily subsidizing the procedure? I assume the client simply thinks Dogs Trust are the ones paying....????

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Stephen Courtney — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 21:49:11 GMT

It is not my place to means-test people who have these vouchers. I can't think of anything more demeaning to myself or the client.

The responsibility lies with the issuer of the vouchers. End of.

Re: Use/Abuse of Dogs Trust Neutering Vouchers

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 17:55:33 GMT

If they're eligible, then I accept them.

Wynne