Complaints

This profile includes complaints for VCA Animal Hospitals, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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VCA Animal Hospitals, Inc. has 337 locations, listed below.

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• 

  VCA Animal Hospitals, Inc.

  12401 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90064-1022

• 

  VCA Lewis Animal Hospital

  10665 State Route 108 Columbia, MD 21044-1303

• 

  VCA Elkton Animal Hospital

  400 W Pulaski Hwy Elkton, MD 21921-5200

• 

  VCA Animal Hospitals, Inc.

  1849 Ocean St Ste 4 Marshfield, MA 02050-4970

• 

  VCA Animal Hospitals, Inc.

  342 Atwood Ave Cranston, RI 02920-4048

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/04/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We brought our cat to the Edgebrook Animal Hospital due to her acute vomiting. During the visit, she received a Cerenia injection, a Cerenia oral pill, an abdominal **ray exam, and subcutaneous fluids. However, we are quite disappointed with the visit because the total bill is excessively expensive, and no diagnosis was provided for the cause of our cat's vomiting. The total bill for the visit exceeded $800, which is double the price compared to ************** Animal Hospital for the same services. The price for the **ray exam at this visit is very high( $430, with an additional $127 charged for interpretation). According to ********************* company, the typical cost for a cat's **ray range from $100 to $250 for the same abdominal **ray, without any separate interpretation fee at other near by animal hospital. Additionally, the treatment was very simple, as the only medicine administered was Cerenia, with no medication for stomach ulcer prevention. Also charge us more $100 for Cerenia while retail price is only $25.It's unfair to charge such a high amount to pet owners without notification. Therefore, we request an adjustment to the entire bill, specifically for the **ray exam and its interpretation fee.I eagerly await your reply and appreciate your attention.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/04/2023

  *****, we appreciate you reaching out with your concerns, and we apologize that our pricing did not align with your expectations on this visit. We would like to personally discuss this matter, so when you're able, please contact our hospital manager at ****************************************************** Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/06/2023

   
  Complaint: 20693607
  
  I am rejecting this response because: we emailed to the exactly same address back to July, and sent response to their survey, never heard anything from them.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/24/2023

  Zhong, our Hospital Manager, *******, called and left a voicemail to get in touch with you to address your concerns. Please contact her at your earliest convenience to discuss this matter. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/28/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have a 12 year old ****** mix named ***** who is virtually blind, rescued from the *********************** this past summer. She had some eye treatments prior to adoption (most recently an ablation), and I wanted her eye pressure rechecked by a local vet I was establishing a relationship with. We had been to this VCA and this particular Vet for the first time on August 5. This subsequent eye recheck visit was on September 14.The visit on September 14 left me very upset. I believe the Vet, **************, was impatient with ***** as she was trying to get a pressure reading. Being blind, ***** is very face shy and having her face held is especially frightening. ************** was having trouble and told ***** if she didn't "calm down", she could not do the exam, as if ***** is a small child and not a handicapped, senior dog. At one point, ***** flinched as her face was being held still and the instrument got knocked out of ****************** hand. She said out loud, "You broke my machine," which made me feel terrible and upset me even more. The doctor then asked another tech to step in who was apparently familiar with the instrument and was able to reset it for the doctor, who finally got the measurement. I had all to do to pay the bill and get out of there as quickly as possible. I was supposed to pick up some flea medicine for my other dog while there, but I was simply too upset and eager to leave. Surely this is not your ************* in treating patients. I believe ************** was not only impatient but insensitive to the needs of *****, which made me never want to return.Maybe this can be reviewed by staff and used as a learning opportunity. Perhaps someone will read this who cares not only about good customer service but who also will do whatever it takes to avoid this happening again. Maybe the doctor was having a bad day but it left me with a terrible taste in my mouth. I won't subject myself or my dogs to it again. Please do better. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/29/2023

  *******, providing a positive experience for our clients and patients is very important to our team.We apologize if you were spoken to in a way that upset you or made you feel uncomfortable. That is never our intention. We'd like to learn more about this and ask that you please provide the name of the hospital you visited so we can direct you to the appropriate team to discuss your concerns. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/03/2023

   
  Complaint: 20665871
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It was not directed toward the specific VCA in the ************ location as I requested in my initial email to my local BBB. Sending it to the company generically will accomplish nothing.

  the address and phone  is 57185 ******* Highway YV *****.    ************ *************

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/04/2023

  *******, we appreciate you providing these details. We encourage you to contact our hospital manager at ****************************** in order to discuss your experience at length. Thank you. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/04/2023

   
  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

  Date:09/28/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  6/9/23 $229.95 6/21/23 $45.99 7/21/23 $45.99 8/21/23 $45.99 9/21/23 $45.99 As a favor, I took a family members pet to ****** 6/9/23 for a check up. Front (male) clerk that day said there was a balance on cat's care/insurance. I paid $229.95 so the cat could be seen as he said had to be paid first and visit is then covered at no cost per insurance plan. In exam room I was told that this was a mistake and this particular cat had no insurance but I could add. I stated I would not and that the money paid should be refunded and I would pay for this cats visit only that day - a couple of shots needed. If care was to be added for this cat, it was not my call, not my cat. After arguing this point, I took the cat and left. We never saw a Doctor. Again I said to refund or I would contact Discover Card. They threatened me with collections on my family member if the charge was reversed. I stated this is not my problem. Again - a clear indication I am not paying this debt. I noticed a charge several days later for $45.99 and thought this was the only charge. I was wrong not to verify they refunded the original charge or did not process the charge at all as is what they should have done that day. I thought this smaller charge was just because we were there 10 minutes and they were going to charge something for their time even though they did NOTHING for the pet. This week I caught up on reviewing credit card statements and have been charged $45.99 every month since 6/2023 visit. ************************* at ****** states this card was used in 12/2022 to create this recurring charge. Blatant Lie. I asked for proof and she said she does not have. Of course Discover will see this is a lie as no charges on my acct before 6/9/23 with ******. They are unprofessional and have used my card without authorization. And again, the cat I took in is not even the cat they are now charging my card for as the family member has 3 cats. None of which will ever be seen at ****** again.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/29/2023

  *****, providing honest and transparent service is our standard, so we are concerned that you've experienced billing issues. We want to ensure this matter is fully addressed and ask that you please contact our team at ************************* to discuss this. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/11/2023

   
  Complaint: 20657367
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I called the office, obviously, and spoke with ***** about this matter. As stated in the complaint, she was rude and lied regarding this credit card being used last year to purchase care/insurance for one of the pets. When asked to prove this card had been used she said she could not. I do not desire to do business with anyone who takes a credit card number after a single use and continues to use it monthly for a charge that I did approve or initiate. Discover has refunded the charges that were not authorized and/or requested to be cancelled the day of the visit whenI left and did not see a Vet for the pet I brought in. Again, the charge made that day was for a pet that was not even in your clinic to be seen. The entire encounter was unprofessional and misleading with regard to what was due and for which pet. No services were performed and no charges should have gone thru for that day and certainly not any future charges. I do not know how to be more clear. There is nothing to discuss. This was wrong and as promised to ***** on the phone, if she could not handle the situation, I would have to file a complaint with the BBB. I did as I stated and this matter has been resolved with my Discover card. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/20/2023

  *****, we appreciate you voicing your concerns and bringing this to our attention. If you would ever like to discuss this matter further, please contact the hospital directly. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/26/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I trusted this organization to perform a dental procedure on my dog. I signed a contract that required them to call me if during the surgery they found additional teeth to remove. They ignored this contractual agreement and pulled 6 teeth without my consent. They did not inform me of this until the next day when I called because my dog was bleeding so much and they told me its because they pulled 6 teeth instead of 1. Additionally they charged me an extra 5 months for fees beyond the agreement & without approval. This organization has no integrity & illegally charges customers.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/27/2023

  ********, ensuring we are on the same page with our clients regarding their pet's treatment is very important to us, so we are concerned by all you've shared here. In order for us to best address these concerns, please let us know the name of the location you visited so we can provide the appropriate contact information.Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/14/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On August 9, I adopted a dog from ******* Rancho Animal Shelter. The dog was spayed by *********** on this day as well. I did not receive a choice in who would perform the surgery as VCA has a contract with the city for this service.I picked up my dog around 3:30 PM on the 9th as instructed.On the 10th, the dog refused all food and was peeing constantly, very low output. I called *********** and they said those symptoms were considered normal and to watch for worse symptoms, specifically excessive drinking and pee in urine. On this day I also made an appointment with ******************** as Ventana could not honor the free wellness check the dog was owed as part of the adoption through the city. This appointment was made for 8/14 as that was the soonest they could see her.On the 11th, I called Ventana 6 times and texted them as well (sent photos). I informed them that there was now blood in the dog's urine, her v**** was swollen, she was compulsively *******, and lots of licking at her sutures and v**** They continued to state those were all normal symptoms and to just watch. They said they were closed on weekends but their sister site (Town and country) would be able to help if things got worse.On the 12th, our dog's incision site was now looking red and swollen. We called town and country for the first time on this issue and they agreed that the dog needed assistance but that they couldn't help. We tried call every VCA location in **********, ***********, and ******** hoping one would treat our dog and the only would who would was the one not affiliated with the rest so it would be out of pocket.We called our normal vet who said the dog definitely needed help but said VCA or ********** should be owning the issue or paying for it since it was a complication of their surgery. Our vet called trying to get ownership but was denied. We ended up paying out of pocket for the needed ********* refused care leading to worse symptoms and a large bill for vet care.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/14/2023

  ******, we care a great deal about the well-being of your dog and are committed to providing the highest standard of care. As such, we take your comments very seriously. Our staff is eager to connect with you and discuss your concerns, so when you are able, please email our hospital manager at ******************************** you. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/17/2023

   
  Complaint: 20465775
  
  I am rejecting this response because: This response was unhelpful. I have reached out using the email that was provided to me and I have yet to heard back from anyone. This initial email went out early afternoon on Monday, Aug 14th. It is now Thursday and a response should have arrived by now. This only compounds my belief that *********** only care about brushing their clients off and giving subpar care or support. 

  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business Response

  Date: 08/23/2023

  ******, we apologize for the trouble you've experienced connecting with our team. We can assure you that we are looking into your concerns, and our Regional Operations Director will be in touch soon. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/25/2023

   
  Complaint: 20465775
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I was told by ********* of VCA Customer Relations I would hear from the Regional Manager by August 17th regarding the corporate communications request I had sent on Saturday, August 12th. VCA has yet to keep a single promise they have made in the last 2+ weeks regarding follow up and communication. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business Response

  Date: 08/25/2023

  ********* *** ************* ** **** *** **** *********** **** **** ************ ** *** **** ** ****** ** **** *** **** *** *** *** ******* *** ***** ******* ***** ** *** ***** *** **** *********** ******** ********** **** ***** ****** **** ***** ****** ** ********** **** *** **** ******* ********* **** ******** **** *** ******** ******** *** ** *** **** *** ***** ** **** ******* ***** ** *** ***** **** ** ******** *** ****************** **** 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/10/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On August 8, 2023, the ****** Animal Hospital veterinary technician was supposed to trim hairs around the eye area of my dog, who was being treated for eye cornea injuries. The job was only half completed, probably because the dog was difficult to handle. I was charged $70.58 for this service. When I questioned this cost, I was told indirectly that it was due to the trim being around the eye area. This cost is excessive for the service received and so I am requesting a refund of $70.58.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/10/2023

  *******, we apologize that you were unsatisfied with your experience, as we always hope for our clients to find great value in our professional care. We would welcome the opportunity to further address your concerns, so at your earliest convenience, please contact us at ************************** Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/08/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I took my cat there on 6/30/23. My cat was dehydrated and was struggling with digestive issues. My appt maybe lasted 15 minutes. The vet called him a she multiple times and never once used his name, just kiddo. She touched him for a few minutes then determined he probably has arthritis, needs full body X-rays and a serious of a million other tests. They brought me a bill of $1000 which I definitely couldnt afford, so I worked it down to $700. I had a list of questions I went in with and the only thing that was paid attention to was what was going to get them the most money from me. I had to call back to speak with her to follow up about all the unanswered information and never received the microchip number I specifically asked for 3x. No instructions were given to me on how to do his stool sample, how to administer his medication and no follow up call was made to check on him. In addition, when I went to pay I used an Affirm Credit card so I could split the payment into 4. I told this to the whole staff before I paid but when I went back to pick him up, they said I owed another $185 and the front desk girl was so rude to me when I asked while no one discussed this protocol with me. I then contacted management and was referred to a regional manager who seemed concerned and apologized for the experience and told me I should speak with the medical director. The medical director then gaslit me and told me how great her doctor was and that shed have ******** contact me for further resolution. I had to take my cat to TLC pet hospital to redo everything because nothing they did actually helped and I felt like they could really care less about my cat. I spent half the price and both visits the doctor spent 45 minutes to hour with me, followed up when I left and never said anything about full body X-rays. When I reached back out to follow up the office manger rudely interrupted me, told me that they gave great care and that hes only willing to refund the office visit.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/08/2023

  Klassie, we are disappointed to read your comments about your experience, as we definitely do not want our clients coming away feeling let down with their visits and the service provided by our team. Your concerns are important to us, and we want to look into this further. Please provide the location name of the hospital you visited so we can give you the appropriate contact information to best address your concerns. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/24/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 7/15, I took my pet to this location. I was spoken to very rudely. I requested an invoice for an adjusted price and was told they didn't want to waste paper. They tried to get me to sign an estimate for a price I did not agree to. They were very pushy and shamed me for not going with all proposed services. I paid out of fear that the bill would get sent to collections.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2023

  *****, providing courteous and professional assistance is important to us, so we take your concerns seriously and would welcome the chance to address them in detail. Please provide the location name of the hospital you are describing, so that we may direct your concerns to the appropriate management. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/26/2023

  ******** (********)

  Business Response

  Date: 07/27/2023

  We truly appreciate your communication, *****, as offering helpful service is something that we take very seriously. We ask that you send an email to *********************************************************** to allow us to address your concerns at length. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/24/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On July 12, I had my aged 15 dog euthanized at ********* Animal Hospital. The dog had been on the Senior Paws CareClub **** since I adopted her in 2018. I asked if my monthly **** payments would be stopped and was told there might be some unpaid services which would prevent them from stopping. I didn't understand why, as all my payments had been successfully billed. However, I wasn't in a mood to deal with it then. I called 3 days later and spoke to the person handling the **** there who told me I owed an additional $672 for expenses above my **** payments to date -- I was appalled!The contract states that the ****, subject to a termination fee, may be terminated by the pet owner, if the patient dies. However, reading further states that the termination fee is equal to the "full retail price of the services provided" or "total monthly payments remaining in the current plan year". Thus, I was being billed for the full year cost of the ****, though my deceased pet will obviously not receive benefits for the remaining months. So, if the pet has received **** services worth more than what the owner has paid into the **** at the time it dies, VCA will collect the difference. However, if the latter amount is greater than the former, the owner will not be refunded that difference! This is not clearly explained; it can only be inferred by carefully reading and understanding the confusing language of the contract, which one only gets to read just prior to signing.I understand VCA needs to prevent people from taking advantage of the **** once their pet has received its services by canceling, claiming their pet died. However, when the pet is euthanized at a VCA hospital by a veterinarian who has been treating it for years and knows the pet's conditions, the owner should be allowed out of the contract without further charges. In this case, there would be no way the owner could have manipulated the **** to their advantage and should not be treated as an owner who could have.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2023

  First and foremost, ***, we would like to offer our sincere condolences for the loss of your beloved dog. Sensitivity is important to us and it is never our intention to frustrate or inconvenience you. We would appreciate an opportunity to discuss these concerns personally, and we ask that you contact us at ****************************** you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/03/2023

   
  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.  One additional monthly payment was charged prior to me filing the complaint, but they have agreed to cancel all of the remaining ones.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/18/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am not liable for this debt with ******* Animal Hospital. I do not have a contract with *************************, they did not provide me with the original contract as I requested.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2023

  ******, we are concerned by your review and encourage you to contact the team directly at ************************** to better address this matter. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/26/2023

   
  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,
  
  *********************************