Why I Dropped Banfield - What You Can Learn

Banfield is one of the largest pet hospitals in the country. PetSmart has a good thing going – they’ve got an in-house groomer, veterinarian, boarding kennel; the works.

When I first adopted Elphie, I went to Banfield because it was the closest vet to my house (and Elphie gets car sick). They sold me on their all-inclusive $32/month plan that would include all her exams and shots every year. When she had her first accidents from a bladder infection, all the included tests seemed to be a great savings, especially from their print-out showing what I *would* otherwise be paying compared to what I was paying. The difference was over a thousand dollars. If I joined Banfield that day for either $384 or $32/month, the sleu of tests they wanted to run would be under $100.

When I adopted Indy, I was told that kitten plan took care of his neutering, all his initial shots and vaccinations, and his microchip. I joined, however still ended up paying *some* amount every time I went to the vet. 

One of Banfield’s dirty little secrets is that while it states that procedures on the plans are included, they aren’t all-inclusive. For example, the kitten plan states that your kitten will be neutered or spayed, and this is included in the plan. When I paid for Indy’s “included” services and the total was $85, I asked why – apparently the anesthesia and other medications to calm him weren’t included. Oh, because you wouldn’t anticipate anesthesia being included when you’re neutering an animal? I would take him in for the “included” care, knowing it would be around $100 when I walked out the door for various costs that were not covered. Still, when I saw the comparison of what I supposedly would have paid not being on this plan, I figured it was okay. I now know that I could have taken Indy to a clinic or the humane society and had him neutered for around half what I paid, without paying the $35/month fee for something that was supposed to be “included”.

During all this, Elphie continued to get bladder infections and the bills continued to come in. I always said I wouldn’t be one of “those people” – however, when I added it up and found that due to her repeated infections I had spent over $2500 treating her in one year, I went to my mother in law’s veterinarian of 17 years for a second opinion.

This vet actually took time to understand what was going on with Elphie; he asked what her litter type was, how many boxes we had, how her behavioral patterns had changed since getting Indy, and what type of water she drank. He did conclude that she had a bladder infection but was the first vet to actually address the underlying problem: crystals in her urine from crappy food and deposits in the water. He explained that when you’re not on a prescription diet, you could be feeding your cat the same food on the outside – but with the economy companies are trying to save money and are substituting cheaper additives and fillers on the inside. Since getting Elphie on a distilled water and prescription diet, we’ve only encountered one infection in almost two years, as opposed to four a year like she was having before.

Banfield has been accused of over-vaccinating and medicating. It’s clear that they are out to make as much money as possible. It’s no discount on service when you’re still paying $35 a month regardless of if your pet is seen or not. Their markup on services for people who aren’t “members” is ridiculous compared to other local veterinarians. For instance, when I adopted my late uncle’s cats, my vet ran tests for both of them and had them put on antibiotics for their kennel sicknesses at a fraction of the cost that Banfield previously prescribed medications and treatment for my cats, without any “membership” fee. There was no pushing, guilt tripping, and they explained everything they did and why.

Clearly, this is my own experience with Banfield. Also, this doesn't reflect my opinion of PetSmart - I choose PetSmart for my pet products over Petco due to the allegations of animal abuse and neglect within the chain. PetSmart provides a better overall shopping experience, and I can get my prescription food there. However, Google “complaints with Banfield” and you can find hundreds of other pet owners who are at least as dissatisfied, if not more so.  I try to be very cautious of veterinarians since I have seen friends repeatedly getting taken for a ride;  their emotions played on when it comes to their pet. However, I definitely feel that Banfield pushes unnecessary procedures, costs far more in veterinary bills in the long run, and may not always be looking out for the best interest of your pet. Yes, there are veterinarians and technicians who work for Banfield whom I believe care about your animals, but when their own staff and PetSmart employees tell you that you should look for another vet because their own pets were over-vaccinated and medicated, it’s time to move on.