Anyone have experience with Banfield Vet (South Philly or Cherry Hill) and their wellness plan? In general, but specifically for a puppy.

Submitted by CockercombeTuff t3_zsqe1m in philadelphia

** EDIT: As requested, puppy picture tax: this is Moose Moose, aka "Moosie", and this is the rest of the litter.. Some of them need good homes, so if you know someone interested please message me. I am willing to transport them and explain all expenses--basically initial vet/caring fees and a confirmed donation to a local rescue. My father in law is a retired vet and a very happy rescuer, not a breeder, and has 8 adult/elder dogs with all sorts of issues, so you'd just be helping him cover his expenses.

We have an 8-9 week old puppy* joining the house in early January (if only I could explain to/prepare the cats), and we're considering getting the wellness plan for the first year to make things easy and budgeted.

Any experiences with either location? From searching all over, the reviews mostly seem a mix of good and meh, but seems highly dependent on the location.

(* Just to get ahead of any adopt don't shop replies, the puppy is coming from a rescue dog my father in law took in that had a litter of 8--doing our best to find other good homes--and we want an early start to train, adjust the dog to adult cats--and vice versa--and get it used to a small rowhouse. Hoping to adopt or foster in the future when we have our own house with more space.)

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[deleted] t1_j19aars wrote

[deleted]

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Brahette t1_j19kvxp wrote

Just piggybacking on this, another potential to consider is to get something like Care Credit. You still pay full price for stuff, but you get to select your payback timeframe (mine is 2 years) so it's 0% APR as long as you pay it off in that timeframe (if you don't, the APR is super expensive). I have done this in lieu of pet insurance and it has worked great for me. It's also nice because I have 3 dogs and get their annuals done altogether, so I put that on CC and then can just spread out the payments over a few months rather than get hit with one giant bill.

I have a friend that got the Banfield plan in another state a few years ago and tbh it just seemed like a ripoff. I'd def compare and contrast some options to see what works best for you!

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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1a6j1b wrote

I have CareCredit, but I'd rather just use it for emergencies at this point. I signed up for it earlier this year--for dental work--and was given a meh limit, put $400 on it, started paying it back, and then without warning the limit was dropped to $400. I called to find out why and the customer service representative was not helpful at all. About the only thing I can think of is that we took out a car loan in August which likely dinged our credit, but that just makes me wary of CareCredit as a solution if it's that volatile.

I paid it off soon after and that hasn't increased our limit in the last few months, so I'd rather just treat it as a backup for emergencies, not as a go to for regular shots and such.

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Brahette t1_j1a7unq wrote

Oh weird, I've had it for over 10 years (originally got it when my dog needed end of life care to the tune of about $3k) and I've never had any issues with it at all. I've taken out two car loans and two mortgages during that timeframe and have never had a limit drop or anything. I don't think I've ever even had to call their customer service for issues. No idea why that happened to you.

I only use it for routine care because I have 3 dogs, so annuals + stool tests + hw bloodwork + shots x 3 = $1000 usually. In your case, I really would use it as a backup for medical emergencies if you don't go with an insurance plan. I personally cannot justify the cost of insurance x 3 for something I'd basically never use. Yes I know, in a catastrophic incident it would be worth it. But that's why I'm happy with Care Credit - no monthly fees and I have 2 years to spread out the payments in the rare times I would need it.

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alittlemouth t1_j19rhns wrote

For a puppy, the "wellness plan" isn't terrible, as it gives you the opportunity to spread out scheduled puppy expenses (vaccines, deworming, spay/neuter, heartworm testing, flea/tick/heartworm preventive, etc.) over a year. That being said, it's important to understand that this is NOT PET INSURANCE and will NOT cover any illness (some plans cover the exam fee for an illness, but they absolutely will not cover blood work/radiographs/surgery/hospitalization/etc.).

If you cannot afford to pay per visit for vaccines, sterilization, etc. (depending on where you go, the total in the first 6-7 months of the critter's life is likely to be $1000-2000), then get the plan to help spread those costs out. If you cannot afford those initial puppy costs out of pocket and don't have a solid $4-5k set aside for pet healthcare, please also consider pet insurance, as you likely can't afford a life-threatening emergency!

Edited to add: SHARE A PIC OF THE PUPPY, STAT.

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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1awb1e wrote

Thanks for this balanced comment, by the way. I signed up for it the wellness plan. We are going to sign up for pet insurance going forward, but we just want a budgeted plan that takes care of the first puppy year. We're stable, but our specific circumstances (employer, neighborhood) could change in the next 6-12 months and we just want something that is consistent and available and takes care of all the first year things.

This option just looks like a good short term thing to make sure we're covered and consistent. I just wanted to dig for some more reviews of the South Philly and Cherry Hill locations. I am happy to budget and pay for most expenses up front and keep the insurance and/or credit options for emergencies.

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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1av6od wrote

This is Moose Moose, aka "Moosie" and this is the rest of the litter.

If you happen to know anyone that is interested in a pit shepherd mutt pup, we are looking to help out my father in law. He's a dog rescuer (8 dogs of various sizes and issues) who is very happy to have this joy but can't add 7 more. Mama has no major issues, she was just left on the side of the road by someone as far as we can tell, probably because they found out she was pregnant :-\

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alittlemouth t1_j1avk99 wrote

Ugh look at their fat little bellies 😍

Thank you for sharing!

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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1awqh9 wrote

My father in law and his wife (mother in law is passed away) are in their 70s and having an absolutely joyous time taking care of them.

Also, they are mostly (75%?) weaned now and mama is soooooo happy.

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JesusOfBeer t1_j19r6cp wrote

If it’s located in a massive super store, I’m not gonna trust it… I’ve been happy with the pet mechanic who offer their own wellness plan/bundle thing. Otherwise, I purchased dog health insurance which paid off

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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1aaqed wrote

I didn't ask for anti-superstore opinions, I'm asking about direct experience with the vets and services in the locations I listed.

I went to The Pet Mechanic's site to see if I could find info on pricing, but could not. However, I did discover that their wellness plan is administered by "Veterinary Care Plans (VCP)".

VCP, a Covetrus solution, is the veterinary industry leader delivering cloud-based care plan program solutions. Partnering with both single and multi-location practices, VCP manages more than 450,000...

Covetrus, Inc. is an American company providing animal health products and related services.[6] Until 2019, it was the animal health business of VetsFirstChoice, and Henry Schein, before being divested.[7][6] In 2021, the company ranked 593 on the Fortune 1000 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.[1]

I'm sure you've had good experiences with The Pet Mechanic, but it's still a business.

Edit: gotta love the downvotes when the truth pops the righteousness bubble.

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monkeymaxx t1_j1yvom7 wrote

I’ve used both the Banfield plan and the Pet Mechanic. Had not great experiences with both.

Banfield is fine if you’re looking for something for one year. But long term they have a lot of staff turnover and I rarely ever saw the same vet twice. It got frustrating to explain the situation over and over each time to a new doctor, and some were really good and others were rude or terrible. Over the long run it may have saved me some money especially when my dog got up there in age and I took advantage of the dental cleanings etc but looking back I wouldn’t have done it. I started going there right out of college so it seemed like a good deal at the time.

The Pet Mechanic was terrible - the vet I got was a total douchebag who suggested extra services I didn’t need and then misdiagnosed my dog’s skin condition. I wrote the owner a complaint but got a lukewarm response. I quickly switched vets and have been happy ever since.

Happy to share more details privately about who I do like. I’ve had 3 different dogs and a cat over the years and am pretty frugal.

Edited to add that my friend worked at Banfield for a stint out of vet school (years after I stopped going there) and hated it. They overwork you and underpay you. That explains a lot, and I’d rather have my pets cared for by people who are compensated appropriately after going into major school debt for their profession. Someone who actually gave me more than 2 minutes with them because I’m paying money instead of a flat rate plan.

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[deleted] t1_j19kf1x wrote

[deleted]

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PollenThighs t1_j1a38z3 wrote

This is wild info. The irony of a company that makes chocolate now focusing its efforts on veterinary care is hilarious.

"If the dog eats our chocolate, it's gonna need our medical services!"

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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1a8gml wrote

I asked for personal experience with the vets and services here, not an opinion about corporations. I read through a bit of that article, and honestly, it's a bit of garbage journalism. Plenty of people have issues with their HR. Plenty of people work tough jobs of various kinds. Most do not commit suicide or even consider it. Framing it through a single person's suicide or the rates of vet suicide is just a weird angle that says more about the writer's intent and skewed hypothesis than the larger reality. Adding your own judgment of people choosing services based on price rather than this writer's opinion is ludicrous.

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alittlemouth t1_j1abkrx wrote

So, not to get off-topic, and I didn’t see the link this commenter posted, but suicide among veterinary professionals is a HUGE problem.

For more info, please check out Not One More Vet. It’s a real problem, it’s industry-wide, and it doesn’t get nearly enough attention.

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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1ad93e wrote

I don't mean to dismiss the issue of suicide. However, if it's a larger issue in the industry, it doesn't really tell me about the experience of going to these particular practices and suggests that it's not Banfield (or Mars, Inc) in particular that is the problem. As a former psych stats researcher (well, undergrad/grad assisting my advisor once upon a time), I suspect there's a third cause (or multiple third causes) related to this unfortunate high correlation.

(Side note: give me a moment, I'm working on the puppy pics)

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Edit:

This Time article does a bit of clarifying:

Dr. Will McCauley had just finished his shift at a small Dallas animal clinic when he went home, fed his pet pot-bellied pig and then held a loaded handgun to his head.
The 33-year-old veterinarian was wracked with student debt and worn down by the daily demands at work, which included euthanizing dogs and cats and being vilified by pet owners for not meeting their expectations. “I was tired in this miserable state of mind,” he says. “It just drained me so much.” For reasons he attributes to either fear or hope, McCauley didn’t kill himself that summer day in 2016, and he quit his job later that week and stopped practicing.
“I knew I had to make a change,” McCauley says. “I was dead on the inside.”

I work in a field (libraries) that isn't as stressful, but still deals with the general public that treats my co-workers and I like shit very often and we often enough get thrown under the bus by management, who've typically risen to their position by proving how much of a dedicated people-pleaser they are.

I'm not trying to claim it's on par, but my experience with demanding and entitled people makes it easy to imagine how some (too many) pet owners can be. I've had animals put down before. I've done nothing but thank the vets/technicians for their help. I don't know what makes some people so evil in these situations.

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alittlemouth t1_j1aealj wrote

Again, I didn’t read the article before the comment was deleted, but I’m gonna assume the point was that mega-corporations certainly don’t help the situation by caring for employees or providing a good work/life balance, which leads to unhappy veterinary staff and worse patient care. There are certainly multifaceted reasons for the mental health crisis in the veterinary profession, but the megacorps certainly aren’t helping (despite their nice and fluffy PR!).

And yes, puppy pics, please! 😍

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justanawkwardguy t1_j19r9z2 wrote

I've used the one in South Philly previously on their $50 a month insurance and it was well worth it. $600 a year for at least $2k worth of services

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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1ac5d9 wrote

Thanks. I appreciate getting an opinion based on direct experience...which is what I was looking for :-)

I probably won't stick with it forever, but I'm basically equidistant to the South Philly location and the Cherry Hill location, so just curious if I could find info that could sway me. The South Philly location has the upper hand by default, just hoping for no horror stories.

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Cplcoffeebean t1_j1agh1r wrote

Look into pets best insurance. Had them for 5 years now and they’ve been great. Probably saved me about 7k over that time.

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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1axcl6 wrote

Definitely the plan going forward! Just want to cover the initial puppy expenses upfront and save the insurance for long term and emergency stuff. All the initial puppy stuff is generic enough. If an emergency happens, I have some credit space to handle that if need be.

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Cplcoffeebean t1_j1axv73 wrote

Mate, trust me, get the insurance now. As a puppy it’s going to be probably under $35 a month. Within 3 months of adopting my pup I was rushing her to Penn vet ER at 11pm to spend $750. With my insurance I got 90% of it back. Trust me it’s so worth it.

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MikeyMortadella t1_j1c9gpc wrote

Yo if you’re in south philly check out love city vet. Met them at a street festival over the summer and went to them when they opened up on Oregon and they are awesome. You also get 1 month free vet insurance through them after your first visit. Made the switch from those scammers at lemonade, and overall just enjoy the service there.

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