06/18/2026
I want to take a moment to post something a bit outside of the "norm" for us - this week has been a really heavy one for our team.
We’ve had more interactions than usual with people who are frustrated, upset, and in some cases unkind when we’ve had to tell them we cannot see their pet that day or that we recommend care in Flagstaff or Prescott.
I want to say this clearly: when we refer you somewhere else, it is not because we don’t care. It’s not because we don’t want to help.
We would love to see every patient that calls us, every client that walks through our doors, and every pet that needs care.
But sometimes a pet’s condition needs advanced monitoring, specialized treatment, or critical nursing care that we simply aren’t set up to provide in a small-town clinic. We have the ability to do a lot, but we can't do it all. Sometimes referring is the best thing we can do for continuity of care and for that pet.
Sometimes we are fully booked and at capacity.
And sometimes our team has just walked through multiple really difficult cases or euthanasias in a row and simply does not have anything left to safely and compassionately take on another patient in that moment.
I know from the outside it can feel like, “Can’t the doctor just take a quick look?” or “It’ll only take a minute.”
But veterinary medicine is almost never just one minute.
Behind every treatment, appointment, or recommendation are medical decisions, charting, nursing care, client communication, coordination, and a team of people trying really hard to do right by every patient.
We care deeply about this community. We care about the locals. We care about the travelers. Every day, we do our best to help as many pets and people as we reasonably can.
And truly - it is a privilege to do this work. Caring for pets and the people who love them is something we do not take for granted.
We can do this work best when our time and professional boundaries are respected, and when people extend the same kindness and grace to our team that they would hope to receive themselves.
We are human.
Please be patient with us. Please be kind to us.
This field carries a lot of compassion fatigue and burnout. We see hard things every day, and words stick with people longer than you may realize.
Thank you to the people who show understanding and grace. We notice. And we appreciate you more than you know.
With gratitude,
Katherine Ruffenach, CVT
Practice Manager
Williams Veterinary Wellness
