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CockercombeTuff OP t1_j1aaqed wrote

Reply to comment by JesusOfBeer in Anyone have experience with Banfield Vet (South Philly or Cherry Hill) and their wellness plan? In general, but specifically for a puppy. by CockercombeTuff

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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