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Complaint Details
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Initial Complaint
10/23/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Order Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
We have used Banfield services for almost 25 years on 3 separate pets. We recently lost our dog Jazzy on 10/2/24 and she was on one of their wellness plans. When you use the services with the wellness plan they give you a cost you need to pay on that visit and your "savings" due to being on the wellness plan. We didn't find out until after Jazzy passed that the "savings" during the contract year for the wellness plan is actually due even if the cancellation of the plan is due to the death of the pet. This is offset by the monthly plan premiums paid to this point in the contract year. When this was recognized, we asked for a detailed accounting and still have yet to receive one. As we started going through this with the "live chat" agents and the amount due changed a couple of times as we discussed what Jazzy really used from May to October at the end we were told the final amount was about $68. We tried the live chat agent the next day to better understand the amount due and how it kept "shifting" the day before, along with not seeing a detailed accounting of the amount due. At this point we had taken the three invoices given and subtracted out the amount paid, coming to around the original amount due from the day before $266. We still have no idea what all went into the detailed accounting of the amount due, which is now (as of 10/23) $71.97. This is now a fourth number.We don't mind paying for services preformed, but at this point we have been given 4 separate amounts and asked for the detailed billing at least two times. Also, we keep on being told that our family is in "their thoughts due to the loss of Jazzy" yet we are being shown no compassion or answers to direct questions about the billing piece. After 25 years of "membership" and over 12 years with Jazzy herself, we just expected to be more than "just a number".
Business response
10/24/2024
Thank you for providing us this feedback and the opportunity to review and address these concerns. Banfield strives to partner with every client to provide quality medical care and client experiences, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to concerns.
We are deeply saddened to learn of Ms.Eisners loss. Our thoughts go out to her and her family during this difficult time.
We are sorry for the miscommunications and confusions provided during conversations regarding the cancellation of Jazzys ***. While we will attempt to clarify the numbers below please note that we have, as a client service gesture, cancelled the *** for Jazzy and have waived the remaining balance.
Optimum Wellness Plans (***s) are customized packages of pet care services. Designed to provide annual preventive care to help keep pets healthy, wellness plans include nose-to-tail exams, vaccines, early screening diagnostics, parasite control and prevention, professional dental care, 24/7 access to PetChaton-demand support on the Banfield app and more. Since wellness plans are not insurance, they do not include treatment for unpredictable or abnormal conditions; however, discounts would apply. The *** package of preventive care services is designed to be delivered over the course of a year and at any Banfield Pet Hospital. Clients can elect to spread the cost of the *** over a year with monthly payments or they can choose to pay up front for the entire annual cost of the ***.
A client can cancel an *** at any time but if cancelled four or more business days after the effective date, Banfield is entitled to recover the lesser of (1) retail value of services and discounts used under the *** minus the monthly payments made or (2) remaining monthly payments due under the term of the ***.Customer response
10/24/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
******* ******Initial Complaint
10/22/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
my wife subscribed to an optimum wellness plan for our dog from banfield pet hospital. the dog passed away, but banfield told us we have to continue to pay $68.95 a month until April 8, 2025. We should not have to pay that because there is no way we'll use any of the services.Business response
10/24/2024
We sincerely apologize for the administrative delayed that has occurred in obtaining and reviewing this matter. We appreciate your continued willingness to allow us to review and address your concerns. Banfield strives to partner with every client to provide quality medical care and client experiences, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to concerns.
We are saddened to learn of *********************** loss. Our thoughts go out to themand their family during this difficult time.
Optimum Wellness Plans (***s) are customized packages of pet care services. Designed to provide annual preventive care to help keep pets healthy, wellness plans include nose-to-tail exams, vaccines, early screening diagnostics, parasite control and prevention, professional dental care, 24/7 access to PetChaton-demand support on the Banfield app and more. Since wellness plans are not insurance, they do not include treatment for unpredictable or abnormal conditions; however, discounts would apply. The *** package of preventive care services is designed to be delivered over the course of a year and at any Banfield Pet Hospital. Clients can elect to spread the cost of the *** over a year with monthly payments or they can choose to pay up front for the entire annual cost of the ***.Because pets need ongoing preventive care, wellness plans automatically renew at the end of each 12-month period (unless paid in full at enrollment).
Per the terms of the agreement, a client can cancel an *** at any time but if cancelled four or more business days after the effective date, Banfield is entitled to recover the lesser of (1) retail value of services and discounts used under the *** minus the monthly payments made or (2) remaining monthly payments due under the term of the ***.
While there would typically be a balance owed in this case, due to the services used and the *** payments paid, Banfield has, as a client service gesture, waived the remaining balance of $206.85 and have cancelled the *** at no additional costs to *** and Mrs. ***********Customer response
10/25/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
******* **********Initial Complaint
10/21/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
I have been a customer for the Optimum ********************** Plan for over 10 years for my dog, *****. She recently passed this past Friday due to a traumatic health issue that has severely upset our family. When calling customer service to cancel our plan, which has just auto renewed with no services rendered since the auto renewal, I am told I have to pay either the entire year or pay for services rendered. This payout policy is predatory on customers who have been loyal customers for YEARS, and you tell a grieving pet owner that they still have to pay, after paying thousands of dollars to outside resources referred to for care, to try and keep them alive. Now, I am being told I have to pay MORE to cancel services, or have a continuous reminder with a monthly debit that my dog is no longer alive? ***** ON THIS COMPANY. IF we choose to get additional pets, we will never be coming back this business, and I will not continue to refer people to this business. We are in tremendous pain right now, and what you are doing is both morally apprehensible and predatory. How dare you allow pet owners to go through additional pain and refuse to be of any additional help to those who need it. Surely, with proof of a pet being deceased, you can allow people an exit from a contract without additional pain and suffering.Business response
10/22/2024
Thank you for providing us this feedback and the opportunity to review and address these concerns. Banfield strives to partner with every client to provide quality medical care and client experiences, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to concerns.
Optimum Wellness Plans (***s) are customized packages of pet care services. Designed to provide annual preventive care to help keep pets healthy, wellness plans include nose-to-tail exams, vaccines, early screening diagnostics, parasite control and prevention, professional dental
care, 24/7 access to ******* on-demand support on the Banfield app and more. Since wellness plans are not insurance, they do not include treatment for unpredictable or abnormal conditions; however, discounts would apply. The *** package of preventive care services is designed to be
delivered over the course of a year and at any Banfield Pet Hospital. Clients can elect to spread the cost of the *** over a year with monthly payments or they can choose to pay up front for the entire annual cost of the ***. Because pets need ongoing preventive care, wellness plans automatically renew at the end of each 12-month period (unless paid in full at enrollment).Per the terms of the agreement, a client can cancel an *** at any time but if cancelled four or more business days after the effective date, Banfield is entitled to recover the lesser of (1) retail value of services and discounts used under the *** minus the monthly payments made or (2) remaining monthly payments due under the term of the ***.
As a client service gesture for Ms. ****** based on her years of bringing pets to us for care, we are agreeing to waive his outstanding balance and cancel his plan at no additional cost to him.
Customer response
10/22/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I accept and trust this business will honor their word to follow through and cancel my optimum wellness plan and waive the remaining fees and monthly deductions.
Sincerely,
***** *****Initial Complaint
10/19/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Order Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
Sign up for a pet wellness plan but 4 days later my pet passed away. Contacted Banfield billing at corporate; they say so sorry but I still have to pay the entire 12 months and cannot cancel unless I pay ****** dollars today. How can a legitimate business take advantage of people this way? Senior disabled citizen too. This is not right, and people should be protected against this type of practice. This is absurd and so unethical.Customer response
10/21/2024
Re complaint; has been resolved, thank you.
***** ******Initial Complaint
10/09/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
To whom it may concern, Id like to file a complaint about Banfield pet hospital ****************************************************************** Ive been a loyal customer for 9 years, of on time payments ! My dog ******** passed away on 7/10/24. The renewal contract took effect, like 3-4 days before ****** passed. Now they want me to pay a years payments. Its cruel and not right! I also have another dog on contract with Banfield. So I haves paid them a lot of money! I dont feel like I owe them anything!Business response
10/20/2024
Thank you for providing us this feedback and the opportunity to review and address these concerns. Banfield strives to partner with every client to provide quality medical care and client experiences,and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to concerns.
We are deeply saddened to learn of Mr. ******** loss of ******* Our thoughts go out to Mr. ******** and his family during this difficult time.
Optimum Wellness Plans (***s) are customized packages of pet care services. Designed to provide annual preventive care to help keep pets healthy, wellness plans include nose-to-tail exams, vaccines,early screening diagnostics, parasite control and prevention, professional dental care, 24/7 access to ******* on-demand support on the Banfield app and more. Since wellness plans are not insurance, they do not include treatment for unpredictable or abnormal conditions; however, discounts would apply. The *** package of preventive care services is designed to be delivered over the course of a year and at any Banfield Pet Hospital. Clients can elect to spread the cost of the *** over a year with monthly payments or they can choose to pay up front for the entire annual cost of the ***.
Per the terms of the agreement, a client can cancel an *** at any time but if cancelled four or more business days after the effective date, Banfield is entitled to recover the lesser of (1) retail value of services and discounts used under the *** minus the monthly payments made or (2) remaining monthly payments due under the term of the ***.
Based on Mr. ******** long tenure as a client of Banfield, as a client service gesture, we have waived the remaining payments for Willows Optimum Wellness Plan and cancelled that plan for him. We did reach out to Mr. ******** to communicate this by telephone and left a voicemail with a number to call if he has further questions.Initial Complaint
10/09/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I have had my dog Chubbs seen at the *********** location several times due to diarrhea and vomiting by two different vets stating he was not sick . I went in several times and ask to speak with a vet and the girl upfront I think it wa *** she has a ***** shadow would not let me speak to anyone on two different occasions . She took a message which I did not get any response on . Then on sat I called cause he was screaming all night and was told he could not be seen call another location . So I did get to see the w ******* location the vet there told I didnt not need to convince her that he was definitely very ill. Then on Sunday we had to go *** blue pearl He was so much in pain we thought he was gonna be put down they said he was in grave condition . We went to a vet hospital yesterday to see A internalist they we are now working with . I ansked all of my wellness plant money refunded and banfield should be paying for additional visits . The Drs dropped the ball on him . He is still not out if the ***** and may have to be put down they should be ashamed of the compassion they have shown ****** . Dr ***** told me I had expectation issues . Dr ***** told me my dog has aniexty issues . Obviously not the case he is still very sick . Inline imageBusiness response
10/20/2024
Thank you for providing us this feedback and the opportunity to review and address these concerns. Banfield strives to partner with every client to provide quality medical care and client
experiences, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to concerns.While we appreciate every opportunity to review, discuss and address our clients concerns, the discussion of a patients care is best done directly with the client.
Our local Field Leadership team has been working with Ms. ***** to try and find a reasonable and mutual resolution of this complaint. We have documentation showing examples of diagnostics that would have helped us to better and more quickly diagnose ****** that were declined, leaving us unable to proceed with finding a definitive diagnosis.
As a client service gesture, we have already waived all remaining payments for Ms. ***** Optimum Wellness Plan, but left the plan active so that she can continue to use it until the plan expires on November 5, 2024.
Initial Complaint
10/09/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
In February 2024 I took my sick pet to Banfield Hospital- Corona. He continued to have a change in baseline and I called Banfield where I was asked to pick up additional pain meds. I knew something wasn't right and I took him to a non Banfield vet who properly diagnosed him. Ultimately he passed away in April 2024. In April 2024 I requested my Optimal Wellness Plan with Banfield be cancelled. I explained my pet passed away and also the reason why. I was told I could not cancel because the office visit from February 2024 exceeded the balance amount I owe in monthly payments. I believe the amount "exceeded" was <$100. I explained how my pet was wrongfully diagnosed and the balance and plan should be cancelled. I was not looking for any other repayment or refund. I just want out of the plan. I was then told the ONLY way that can happen is if I call the location itself and the Office Manager will have to call and authorize. I have now had five calls with the office manager, *********, with no resolution. I called headquarters 10/9/24 and was told, although there are notes from my calls, the monthly payments will not be stopped and will not be cancelled. Since my initial call in April, I have been charged $80/month. At this point I have requested for 7 months for a stop payment and cancellation of my plan. As it stands today, I was told by ******, customer service **** at headquarters "I will repeat it thirty times if I have to, you're not getting any money back". I asked to speak with a supervisor or have an email and was denied by ******. All she gave me was his name, ** and refused to transfer me. I asked for an employee # and was denied.Business response
10/20/2024
Thank you for providing us this feedback and the opportunity to review and address these concerns. Banfield strives to partner with every client to provide quality medical care and client experiences, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to concerns.
We are deeply saddened to learn of Ms. ******* loss of Yoshi.
Optimum Wellness Plans (***s) are customized packages of pet care services. Designed to provide annual preventive care to help keep pets healthy, wellness plans include nose-to-tail exams, vaccines, early screening diagnostics, parasite control and prevention, professional dental care, 24/7 access to ******* on-demand support on the Banfield app and more. Since wellness plans are not insurance, they do not include treatment for unpredictable or abnormal conditions; however, discounts would apply. The *** package of preventive care services is designed to be delivered over the course of a year and at any Banfield Pet Hospital. Clients can elect to spread the cost of the *** over a year with monthly payments or they can choose to pay up front for the entire annual cost of the ***.
A client can cancel an *** at any time but if cancelled four or more business days after the effective date, Banfield is entitled to recover the lesser of (1) retail value of services and
discounts used under the *** minus the monthly payments made or (2) remaining monthly payments due under the term of the ***. For Ms. ******* situation, Yoshi received $1,150.87 in services and discounts from the Optimum Wellness Plan prior to his passing. For this plan, Ms. ****** has paid $879.45 in payments. We have waived her final payment of $79.95 and the plan is now cancelled.Initial Complaint
10/09/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I brought my dog in to be neutered, and he was recovering at home. I noticed swelling at the incision site about a week later. I brought him back to Banfield and they told me it was fine and had me buy more pain meds. A few days later, I noticed bleeding and very swollen incision site. I then brought him back again and they gave him antibiotics and told me to bring him back at 7am the next day for surgery. I brought him back at 7am sharp, and they told me I would hear from the vet when they looked at my dog to let me know what kind of surgery they were going to do. I called at 10am to check in, and they still hadn't looked at my dog. The vet finally called me at noon and said they looked at the wound and they don't need to do surgery or anything further.A family member went to pick up my dog at 1pm (6 hours from when I dropped him off) and he was covered in his own f**** The vet did not let him out of his kennel all day to use the restroom and they did not clean the f**** off of him. My family member could not get my dog in his car, so I had to go pick him up after work at nearly 6pm. When I got there, my dog still had f**** all over him. When I got home, it was apparent my dog did not drink water or eat all day due to how hungry and thirsty he was. It is unacceptable (and actually illegal) to leave a dog in his own f**** and to deprive him of food and water for over 10 hours.Business response
10/20/2024
Thank you for providing us this feedback and the opportunity to review and address these concerns. Banfield strives to partner with every client to provide quality medical care and client
experiences, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to concerns.
While we appreciate every opportunity to review, discuss and address our clients concerns, the discussion of a patients care is best done directly with the client. We have escalated this matter to the supervising Field Leadership and have asked that they review this matter and have the appropriate representative reach out to Mr. *******Initial Complaint
09/25/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Order Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
We have been customers of ********************** for over 14 years. During that time we have paid THOUSANDS of dollars in additional fees beyond their Optimum Wellness Plan (which I know they are currently facing a lawsuit over what a scam it is). We attempted to cancel after the unfortunate passing of our Yorkie while he waited to be seen by a vet (which would have required more services than what is covered). I am not seeking a refund, I am not seeking a BS templated apology. I just want to cancel the coverage for my dead dog because you havent provided any services for those months and nor will you.Business response
10/05/2024
Optimum Wellness Plans (***s) are customized packages of pet care services. Designed to provide annual preventive care to help keep pets healthy, wellness plans include nose-to-tail exams, vaccines, early screening diagnostics, parasite control and prevention, professional dental care, 24/7 access to ******* on-demand support on the Banfield app and more. Since wellness plans are not insurance, they do not include treatment for unpredictable or abnormal conditions; however, discounts would apply. The *** package of preventive care services is designed to be delivered over the course of a year and at any Banfield Pet Hospital. Clients can elect to spread the cost of the *** over a year with monthly payments or they can choose to pay up front for the entire annual cost of the ***.
A client can cancel an *** at any time but if cancelled four or more business days after the effective date, Banfield is entitled to recover the lesser of (1) retail value of services and discounts used under the *** minus the monthly payments made or (2) remaining monthly payments due under the term of the ***.
In this case, Obi received services and discounts from the *** in the amount of $1226.41 prior to his passing. Ms. ****** paid $379.25 in monthly payments. A previous representative did waive/credit Ms. ****** for 2 monthly payments, as a client service gesture, in the amount of $137.90.
As a client service gesture, an additional two (2) monthly payments have been waived/credited to Ms. ******** account as of the date of this response. The remaining balance owed on the account is $206.85, the remaining three (3) monthly payments.Customer response
10/06/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***** *****Initial Complaint
09/25/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
This business breached its agreement with us. They double charged us for services. We are owed $600 for services already covered under our agreement.Business response
10/04/2024
We have been unable to locate any records for a file under this name and/or phone number. Please provide us with the name on the medical record and we would happily look into this matter for you.Customer response
10/05/2024
Complaint: 22337912
I am rejecting this response because: the business does have our medical records under this name and address. I am not posting PII, but the name and address are correct. our dog's name is "Colby" ******* This is just an attempt for the business to avoid an actual response.
Sincerely,
**** ******Business response
10/20/2024
We have no *** agreement or records for a **** ****** with a pet named *****. We have no records for a ******* ****** in ********.
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