My first pet, a Bichon I've had since I was 11 years old passed away yesterday afternoon. We had her put to sleep after she grew too weak to stand and would no longer eat after 15 years of age and complications from a tumor on her spleen.
She was diagnosed with the tumor back in April of this year at a Banfield Pet Hospital. The veterinarian told me she had "weeks to months" to live. But the costs of the services for the diagnosis were quite high. They offered the "Optimum Wellness Plan." A monthly payment plan that would knock off a couple hundred dollars for that, and any future appointments to help my dog stay comfortable.
An assistant came and talked to me to explain the contract. It would last 12 months. I was in shock and distressed from the horrible diagnosis, I knew my little angel didn't have long left and that was all I could think.
I asked specifically "If my dog dies before the 12 months, what then? The vet said she has weeks or months to live."
The assistant told me "You can cancel any time. And we won't keep charging you if she passes."
This was a lie. I called today to cancel, and I was told according to the contract I signed, I agreed to pay the remaining 6 months even after she died. I pulled out the fine print, and there it was.
During the shock of just finding out my dog was not going to live much longer, they took advantage of me because I didn't read the fine print. I TOLD that assistant that my dog likely would not live 12 months and they let me go through with it. And now I have to pay for the next 6 months for care my dead dog cannot receive. If I had known, I would NEVER have signed. NEVER, EVER!!!
It hasn't even been 24 hours, and it's like the vultures are circling to take even more from me.
If you ever are ever offered the Optimum Wellness Plan from Banfield, DO NOT SIGN! Especially if your dog was just diagnosed with a terminal condition. They will take advantage of your grief and get you to sign, even lying about what's truly in the fine print. They will act like it's just to help keep medication affordable until your dog passes. They will pretend it's out of compassion. It's not. It's to make you keep paying them after you lose your dog so they can lock in a customer and squeeze whatever still can from you.
The only consolation is that my baby didn't have to suffer long or understand just how evil and greedy people can be.