I took Sophie for her spay yesterday, as well as to be micro-chipped and have a few double teeth pulled. We went to the Humane Society because it was $200 instead of the $450 my vet was going to charge me. While I certainly saved money, Sophie paid for it and I am so angry with myself for putting her through this.
The drop off in the morning was crowded, loud, and felt exactly like a crowded, urban free health clinic. (I do a lot of consulting work with urban schools in high poverty areas, so I understand that free health clinics are important community resources.) However, it was a stressful start to the process for Sophie. Then, they couldn't find the paperwork on Sophie's blood panel that I had my vet fax over to them a month ago. 3 weeks ago I confirmed with them they had received the paperwork: yes, they had. Then, on Monday I thought I'd just double-check on that. Seems the paperwork was nowhere to be found now. Hmm. Okay, so I had my vet fax it over again, and confirmed with my vet that it had been sent over. But then when I showed up yesterday, they couldn't find it. What the heck??! I insisted that I wouldn't let Sophie have the surgery without the doctors at the hs seeing her bloodwork, and the office staff kept looking and finally it turned up in... wait for it... Sophie's file! Because somehow they didn't think to look there before. (sigh) It was a stressful start to the day, but I trusted the doctors there, so I left Sophie for the spay. However, I received not one, but TWO phone calls a few hours later to confirm that I wanted Sophie's double teeth pulled and for her to be micro-chipped. Um, yeas, that's what is marked on her form. Did they lose the form?? And then when I picked her up in the afternoon, it was a madhouse. Crowded waiting room and the receptionist rattling off aftercare directions to everyone en masse like a flight attendant. No Q &A afterwards, they just started bringing pets out and handing them to owners. I did ask the receptionist a few questions, and she answered them.
But what I didn't notice was that Sophie had a HUGE black mark on her tummy. I thought maybe it was just a Sharpie marker dot indicating incision area, but it's to the right of the incision and it's HUGE. I phoned the humane society to find out what it was and it turns out THEY TATTOOED SOPHIE! The receptionist told me it was in the consent I signed and they do it so if she's picked up and take to the hs, they'll know she's already spayed. Essentially, for their possible future convenience, they disfigured my dog. Well, it was my grave mistake not reading through the teeny tiny fine print at the bottom of the form. I'll admit to that mistake, but I also let them know that TATTOOING someone's dog is a big freakin' deal and that it should be discussed with the owner, not simply done to the dog. The tattoo is larger than a dime and on her lower belly where she doesn't grow hair. For the rest of her life she'll look like a five year old has gone at her with a black marker. I'm so incredibly angry I could scream!!!!
The whole experience at the humane society was a negative one and I regret very deeply that I tried to save $200 and my baby paid for it. I would advise anyone considering having his/her dog spayed at the Humane Society of Huron Valley to go elsewhere. Your baby will thank you for it!