What's your opinion on reporting clients for negligence/abuse? There's always a risk of losing them, and them leaving nasty reviews online could affect existing clientele. you wouldn't want these types of clients in the practice anyway, right? Is there a proper way to do this? I always think of a k9 case whose pinna and ear canals were calcified from severe infection, or the people who backyard breed their pets wishing I did something. Neither of my hospitals report anything as far as I know.
There are certainly better methods to do it than others, and I feel like it’s better to have the treating vet make the report, and tell the client, to their face that you are going to make that report right now, rather than have a nurse or anonymous staff member make that report. In the later case, the client will probably accuse the practice or vet of reporting them anyway, but you didn’t and you have no way of confirming or denying it, but the client thinks you did anyway and it just becomes a mess.
My usual process goes like this:
Here are your treatment options and this is the one that we recommend.
Well, we could modify this plan and it’s the bare minimum your animal needs.
Okay, what if we do the following things at no cost or reduced rates on welfare grounds?
So, why are you declining treatment?
Okay, if you are declining treatment and going to another clinic, I’m still going to call the RSPCA and they will check up on you to ensure you actually go, and if you do get treatment there it will be fine. OR
This animal’s welfare is compromised and if you leave without treatment I will make a report to the RSPCA while you are still in the carpark. OR
I have the legal right under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act to euthanise your animal without your consent because it’s suffering cannot be controlled in any other way. You can’t chose to do nothing.
This makes it very clear what your professional and personal opinions are, and that you’re absolutely serious about doing this. You step up as a vet, and shield your nurses from dealing with this sort of backlash because the client isn’t going to come storming into reception on a tirade if they have one, specific vet to blame who made it absolutely no surprise that the report was being made.
These clients will probably not leave you a bad review, because how can they? You can reply very simply “It was explained to you in no uncertain terms that your treatment of your pet was unacceptable, and when all treatment options, including free treatment was declined by you, we made the report as discussed.”
Even if a hospital doesn’t make a report, individual staff members, or even people in the waiting room, can make an anonymous report. You can be suspected in a small clinic, but it can’t be proven.
But personally, as the vet I’m going to be blamed anyway. I might as well make the report to their face.
