06/05/2025
Notice - Payments / Areas covered / Cancellation Policy.
Payment method: Payment for my home euthanasia service is either cash or bank transfer.
I do not have a card machine as even a 1-2% transaction fee quickly adds up. We all work hard for our income and I don't believe in giving it to the bank.
Areas covered:
I cover the majority of the North West - Centrally based in Bolton Manchester but I will go to the extremities of Formby Beach to Glossop - Preston to Congleton. This is a HUGE area for me to willingly serve on my own. Some of these visits are over 100 mile round trip! I am just one person trying to help as many families as possible. While I would drive further it becomes cost prohibitive for the client.
Deposits:
When I set up on my own I didn't take any deposits and didn't have any “cancellation policy".
However I unfortunately have reached a limit on the below scenarios becoming more than a "one off" and so they have had to be implemented as standard now.
I have on more than one occasion driven to a far destination only to have the owner not answer the door to me. If you change your mind that is absolutely fine but at least have the courtesy to let me know. Allowing me to drive over an hour each way and to not answer the door and ignore my phone calls is unacceptable.
Your pets are poorly and at the end of their life. On occasion sometimes due to certain emergency diseases or less than ideal planning a pet passes before I arrive. If this happens and you are far away, please let me know as there is no need for me to come all the way to you for you to then tell me when I arrive your pet sadly passed an hour ago...
Home euthanasia is an incredibly popular service. To my knowledge I am the only independent mobile home vet that covers this large radius areas and offers weekend, evenings AND emergency out of hours! The vast majority of Vets are not able to offer home visits. Some of the larger Veterinary emergency practices do offer this but at a very high premium of over £1,000 for the call out...
I am getting very busy - sometimes 10 calls a day. I am doing my best but there are only so many hours in a day and with the considerable travel time in between families I am limited on how many people I can help. Therefore when people don't answer the door or cancel while I am enroute I am unable to help another family. That means firstly and most importantly there is an animal left struggling and a distraught owner and secondly I have lost income. I love my job as a Vet but this is also my livelihood and how I pay my bills.
Deciding to put your pet to sleep is an incredibly difficult decision. I will support you all I can however you need to be sure it is time and you are ready. I cannot hold appointments without a deposit or a written agreement and understanding that you are still expected to pay if you want to pay cash.
To book an appointment with me 50% of the total cost of the home visit is classed as a deposit to secure my time and this is non-refundable.
If less than 24 hours notice is given and you cancel / change your mind / of for whatever reason you do not want the visit then no refund is given and if you wanted to pay cash you are expected to still pay the visit free as explained to you at the initial booking. This sadly includes if your pet passes before I can get there.
It is a horrible situation to be in but you booked my time and agreed to the terms. I then refuse visits for other families as I have your visit and travel time in the diary.
This means that when you cancel not only have I not been able to help another suffering pet, it means I have lost income.
Money is not nice to talk about but the reality is, we all have to earn money to pay our bills.
If I attend your home and you decide you do not want me to euthanase your pet - that is fine but unfortunately you are still expected to pay for the service you booked.
If you want to amend your booking and bring it forward / delay it, that is not a problem as long as the diary allows for this change. There is no charge for this.
I have dedicated myself to helping people in their darkest time and ensuring animal welfare is not compromised for those people unable to get their pet to the Vet due to physical, transport or financial concerns (also the fact they don't want to say goodbye this way).
I hope this is all clear.
Shareen x
