Almost lost my veterinarian on Wednesday

[Rhino]

Went to the vet Wednesday to pick up medicine for one of the dogs. There were 'no guns' signs in the windows. I asked when those went up and they said a couple of days earlier. So I told the girl at the counter I'd need copies of the records for all my animals (3) to take to another vet. She printed those out for me. I thanked her and left. We've been taking our animals to that veterinary office for 14 years, and we've always had a specific vet there we consider our own that we request. It's a family run place. The vet we use now is the son of the owner. His wife used to be our personal vet but she left to work with service dogs. We've considered the vets to be friends even though we didn't see them very often because our pets are family members to us and their care is a very personal matter. That tends to form a bond of kinship that is stronger than what you'd typically find with people you only see occasionally. Anyway, I got a voicemail a while later that day while I was at the hospital for x-rays (those that know me are aware I broke my back a few months back). It was the girl at the vet counter who'd given me the records. She said she'd talked to my vet and he wanted her to pass on his apologies for the 'confusion', and to inform me that the signs had been taken down. She even passed along his personal cell phone number in case I had any concerns or questions. I was really glad that turned out the way it did because I was not at all looking forward to getting a new vet.

 

[Professor]

If you find out, I'd be interested to know the reason the signs were posted in the first place. I'm guessing reactions like yours are why they were taken down. Kudos to you for standing by your principles.

 

[Bluestar99]

I can appreciate your position. The only thing I would change is how you handled it. Since you had a long standing relationship with your Vet, and considered them friends, I would have talked to them first. The girl at the desk had no way of changing things. It was only lucky that she relayed your request for your records to the Doctor. A face to face conversation would have been a better way to go IMO.

 

[BC1]

When it comes to medical care for ANY member of my family I'll choose the best. Gun rights wouldn't enter the equation. Same for me personally. I'm not picking a cardiac surgeon based on gun rights.

 

[Rhino]

I can appreciate your position. The only thing I would change is how you handled it. Since you had a long standing relationship with your Vet, and considered them friends, I would have talked to them first. The girl at the desk had no way of changing things. It was only lucky that she relayed your request for your records to the Doctor. A face to face conversation would have been a better way to go IMO.

He wasn't available. The vets rarely are without an appointment or without prior notice. I'm sure I could have spoken with him if I'd had the time to stay and wait a bit, but I was on the way to a hospital appointment of my own. The circumstances just didn't allow a face to face at that time.

 

[Rocketgeezer]

I can appreciate your position. The only thing I would change is how you handled it. Since you had a long standing relationship with your Vet, and considered them friends, I would have talked to them first. The girl at the desk had no way of changing things. It was only lucky that she relayed your request for your records to the Doctor. A face to face conversation would have been a better way to go IMO.

You have a point, as I have has a couple of deals very similar, however right or wrong, handling it the way he did really let the management/vet/friend, know he was not fooling around, and I afraid I would have done the same thing

 

[Bluestar99]

I understand, but waiting till his Vet was available and speaking to him face to face would be the way I would handle it. Same as I wouldn't tell my waiter I will no longer be coming back because the food was bad. Can he deliver the message? Yes. Can he effect a change? No.

 

[TexasBB]

The vet chose to inform his customers through a sign with no explanation or invitation of feedback. The poster handled the situation appropriately.


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[Rhino]

I spoke with him again a couple of days ago when I had questions about medications for the dogs. At the end of the conversation he asked if I'd gotten the message about the signs being taken down. He apologized for the matter and thanked me for bringing it to his attention, making me really start to wonder if he was even aware the signs were there. He doesn't come in the front doors that the customers do where the signs are, so it's possible he hadn't seen them. But he was very adamant in insuring I know that it was all a mistake and that the signs were definitely gone for good. Like I said, he's a really nice guy and we get along with him really well. That's why we always make our appointments specifically with him and consider him our personal vet. His wife's really nice too. Too bad she doesn't work there anymore.
.
As for the manner of how I initially voiced the matter, you need to consider that this is a small town vet's office. It's a very small group of people that work very closely together, and they commonly share jobs. I didn't need to hand them a card or make a monetary connection to get the point across or to 'spread the word'. They all know what happens there because they're all involved with all facets of the practice. Everybody there knew what happened when I requested the records to go to another vet. I have absolutely no doubt of that. There's usually no more than six people there at any given time and three of them were in the room when I made the request. And since the girl at the desk was somewhat new, she had to ask for assistance in printing out my entire records because she'd never done it before. So everybody knew what was happening, and those not physically present would have been privy to discussions about it anyway. They're like a close knit family that way. And I'm sure Brett (my vet) had some things to say when he had them remove the signs too. So while I very much agree with the practice of handing out NGNM cards, and I do have them, they really weren't necessary in this particular case.

 

[XD40scinNC]

The vet chose to inform his customers through a sign with no explanation or invitation of feedback. The poster handled the situation appropriately.

Agreed that the OP handled it correctly. However I have no problem how the vet handled it, aside from his lapse of judgment in wanting to ban clients that carry in the first place. Can you imagine the confusion if they had mailed their client list with a notice that they will no longer be allowed to carry into his facility?

 

[Rhino]

You know, if I had to venture a guess, I don't think the vet had anything to do with the signs. I think it was the office manager, who has little customer contact and no direct veterinary duties. That would explain why the vet I spoke with didn't seem to be aware of it, and also the seeming lack of thought as to how the decision would affect the customer base. But as I said, that's just my guess.

 

[natalieinwyo]

I totally agree that you handled this correctly. I live in a small town as well, where everyone knows everyone, which has the benefit of (as in this case) the higher ups finding out pretty quickly, and being able to reach out personally.

 

[N R A]

Our state statutes, lists hospitals (vague reference) as places you cannot CC. The good animal vets, all pretty much call themselves Veterinarian Hospitals. Is that a catch 22? Is a people doctors office, that looks like a small hospital, a place you can CC? In my state, I stay out of all Clinics, with CC. I am more afraid of compromising my rights, than I am a bad man in a clinic. I could be wrong. I could be dead wrong.

 

[N R A]

I can read it now, someone is going to say I am not a slave, and my rights, is the 2nd Amendment. OK, whatever. lol

 

[jmohme]

The vet chose to inform his customers through a sign with no explanation or invitation of feedback. The poster handled the situation appropriately.


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I agree!

 

[hwydave]

I spoke with him again a couple of days ago when I had questions about medications for the dogs. At the end of the conversation he asked if I'd gotten the message about the signs being taken down. He apologized for the matter and thanked me for bringing it to his attention, making me really start to wonder if he was even aware the signs were there. He doesn't come in the front doors that the customers do where the signs are, so it's possible he hadn't seen them. But he was very adamant in insuring I know that it was all a mistake and that the signs were definitely gone for good. Like I said, he's a really nice guy and we get along with him really well. That's why we always make our appointments specifically with him and consider him our personal vet. His wife's really nice too. Too bad she doesn't work there anymore.
.
As for the manner of how I initially voiced the matter, you need to consider that this is a small town vet's office. It's a very small group of people that work very closely together, and they commonly share jobs. I didn't need to hand them a card or make a monetary connection to get the point across or to 'spread the word'. They all know what happens there because they're all involved with all facets of the practice. Everybody there knew what happened when I requested the records to go to another vet. I have absolutely no doubt of that. There's usually no more than six people there at any given time and three of them were in the room when I made the request. And since the girl at the desk was somewhat new, she had to ask for assistance in printing out my entire records because she'd never done it before. So everybody knew what was happening, and those not physically present would have been privy to discussions about it anyway. They're like a close knit family that way. And I'm sure Brett (my vet) had some things to say when he had them remove the signs too. So while I very much agree with the practice of handing out NGNM cards, and I do have them, they really weren't necessary in this particular case.

I see nothing wrong with your decision or the manner in which you handled it. It worked out well and sometimes you just have to take a stand and you did it publicly which I'm sure sent a strong message.


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[Cyr]

I carry at doctors' offices all of the time! Pennsylvanian doctors seem to both like and, themselves, prefer to carry concealed firearms. One ER doctor even told me that he hated working the ER on weekends because so many druggies end up hanging around there. He, also, said that he'd almost been mugged while walking across the street to get a cup of coffee around 3:00 am, one morning. It was only the presence of his Glock Model 19 that saved him from the 4 addicts who made a try for his wallet.

Another time I had an examining doctor step behind me and lift my Behlert-made Walther PPK-S out of its holster. Just when I was wondering what was going to happen next, the doctor remarked, "I hope you don't mind, but this is a really beautiful gun!" (Then he told me to relax because he knew how to handle it!)

Want more? OK, I got stung by a white-faced hornet; and, next thing I know, I'm in an ambulance on the way to the ER. As a courtesy (and a precaution) I told the female EMT that I was armed. She frisked me, missed the gun, and told me to calm down because I was hallucinating!

So I reached behind my back and came out with the piece in my hand. Well, the woman began to scream at the top of her voice, "My God, my God, he's got a gun in MY ambulance!" Then the ambulance driver told her to calm down, and that he'd phone it in. When we got to the hospital there was a local police detective waiting for the ambulance.

The detective told me not to worry because he'd already run my name and address through the system. He asked for my pistol, whistled, and remarked about what a classy piece it was. He, then, dropped the clip, racked the slide, and (so help me) caught the ejecting round in midair!

I told him that I'd only seen that done before in the movies. The man smiled and replied, "That's one of the questionable habits you learn while you're waiting around for bad things to happen!"

As they wheeled me away the detective called after me and told me not to worry, he would take real good care of my gun! (Which I am happy to say is exactly what he did.) The next day I got my gun back from the safe in the Hospital's security office. It had been carefully wrapped in several layers of paper, and stored all the way at the back of the safe!

As for our veterinarian of the past 30 years? While his prices have become insanely high, he stood by us during the 'great Pit Bulldog scare', and refused to cooperate with the local news media. I will never forget him telling one sensationalist news reporter,

"No, I do not find Pit Bulldogs to be particularly dangerous!" "In fact because of their high tolerance to physical pain, and their tendency NOT to be 'fear bitters' I find PItbulls to be easier to work on than most other breeds of dogs."

Needless to say the local 'news whore' holding a microphone in his face was not happy!

 

[Cyr]

I assume that the pistol in question was once again your Walther PPK-S. If so please be advised that the Walther PP, PPK, and PPK-S pistols do not use "clips" to load ammo. All three models use a detachable magazine.

Not mine! Here, see for yourself:

​

Here allow me to introduce you to the NRA/ILA's Glossary of Firearm Terms: (You know the same one that internet gun forum pedants never bother to read!) HINT: The term you're looking for is, 'CLIP'. OK, got it?

https://www.nraila.org/for-the-press/glossary/

And here's something else from the NRA's 'American Hunter' magazine:

https://www.nraila.org/for-the-press/glossary/

(Hope I haven't ruined your day, but it's now time for me to get off 'the net', go to the range, and burn up a dozen clips, or so!)