To the Editor:
Today we learned a lesson about honesty, accountability, trust, and lack of compassion for a sick animal.
On April 22, 2016, our mini Schnauzer was viciously attacked on our front porch by a pit bull mix. If my husband wouldn’t have heard me screaming we would have had to bury our beloved dog. Our dog was bleeding from some tooth punctures on his head. We had to get him to the closest vet immediately. Staples were needed to close the wounds. Animal control was called and he and the vet clinic unanimously agreed the owner of the attacking dog should be held responsible for the vet bill.
When we had to go to the vet clinic in July 2017 to pick up a prize, we found that she had not paid any of the bill. After confronting her about the bill, the dog owner said that she would take care of it. She paid $40.50 that month and another $20 in November 2017.
We went into the vet clinic that month and asked if she was paying the bill and the receptionist was very snippy with us and told us that yes, she is taking care of it. So we assumed she was paying it off in payments. Then she quit paying the bill with $80 remaining on it, which we just found out this past week.
Today our mini Schnauzer was sick. So I called the clinic and made an appointment. We were very happy when they said they had an opening, because our regular clinic in Dixon was booked. About 10 minutes later, they called and said we had an outstanding bill of $80 and they wouldn’t see him unless the bill was paid.
If she started paying Cody’s bill, why didn’t they bill her? She had accepted the responsibility of owing the bill. We feel Cody was held hostage for $80 that was not our responsibility. This was so wrong on every level.
Joy and Don Groenhagen
Oregon