Fox Valley Veterinary Clinic

Reviews 3

TH

Theresa Poborsky

I normally dont write reviews but felt that my experience with FVVC warranted one to prevent any other pet owner who considers their pet to be a part of their family from going through a similar experience. While staying with my parents, my dog was hit by a car and did not survive. My husband and I are from out of town and were staying in the Fox Valley area. Our dog was in great shape and we had not had a plan for his death. Especially while traveling. We turned to FVVC as a place to take him to be cremated. Its where my parents took their dogs when I was a kid. Later my mother revealed that she was not a big fan of Dr. Brooks. The initial intake process was great. The tech that worked with us was very soft and kind and gave us time to say our good byes. She did an incredible job of explaining the process to two grieving pet owners making us feel as though our dog was in safe hands. We were given a pamphlet from Pets at Peace Crematory and given the option of a private cremation or partitioned. We choose private. It was explained that he would be picked up on that upcoming Wednesday, (mind you our died on a Saturday) and would be returned the following Wednesday, 12 days after his death! Nearly two weeks to have my sweet boy returned to me seemed ludicrous! Not knowing there were other options my husband and I went home. That next Monday I pulled out the paperwork and discovered that it had been filled out incorrectly by the tech and that he was scheduled for a partitioned cremation. I immediately called FVVC and requested that this be changed. They agreed and were going to charge my credit card for an additional $150 for the service on top of the 250+ being charged for the partitioned cremation and were to pick him up the next day. While working with the facilities manager to arrange this I asked when his remains would be returned. She was very short with me and could not definitively answer when his remains would be returned!!! How is that even acceptable?! I would think that both of this companies are running legitimate businesses. Theyre clearly not. Returning his remains whenever they got around it is not acceptable! Red flags were popping up left and right! I had to get him out of there. My sweet boy was not being treated with the love and respect that a member of our family deserved. It was as if these people just saw his death as a way to make a profit. I was able to call the Hinsdale Pet Cemetery who picked him up first thing in the morning. When my husband and I arrived at the HPC we were given time to say our final good byes again. The entire staff at HPC was so respectful. We witnessed the intake of another dog, who was wheeled in on a stretcher from its owners car. It was so great to feel like we had finally gotten our boy to a safe place where his soul was considered. We were invited to be present for his cremation. It was such a relief to know that we would be leaving with OUR pets ashes. After the cremation began we were able to take our sweet boys remains home with us within an hour and half. Providing the closure that we so desperately needed after our experience with FVVC. We were only charged $255, which included the $75 pick up fee from North Aurora to Willowbrook. A sharp contrast to the over $400 that a sketchy cremation was going to cost at Pets at Peace! HPC is truly operating a respectful, ethical business and we will forever be grateful that they cared for our sweet boy with the love and respect that he deserved! I hope that this review serves as a warning about the type of operation that FVVC is running and prevents others from a similar traumatic experiences. Please note this review is also on Yelp and Facebook.

AA

Aaron S

my 7 month old dog was hit by a car. my neighbors brought my dog to their vet because i was at work during the incident. The day after i brought her to my vet (fox valley vet). original vet (my neighbors) stated she would need daily bandage changing, for about a week. My vet stated the same thing. first issue: original vet charged 45 dollars, roughly, to change bandage. fox valley charged 177. you decide! second issue: original vet told me what to expect over the next couple of weeks and she explained what should happen daily over that time period. She prescribed some meds for pain. My vet on day two said i needed additional pain meds. apparently because first vet didnt know what she was doing! When i questioned the extra meds the receptionist, brittany, got upset and told the two doctors i was being "unreasonable". i am not writing her exact words because i didnt hear exactly what she went and told the doctors. what i do know is that i was pulled into a room and treated like a child by a Dr. Tab (big guy). He loomed over me and shook his finger in my face and said i needed to understand my dogs pain. From the beginning i had stated i could not stay because i needed to be at work, something they couldnt understand. I must have said it like 10 times, i need to go to work and you call me when you are finished. i even had someone with me who was going to stay for me and bring my dog home. Well they kept me there the whole time, extra in fact. They did not see that my biggest issue was the need to be at work but harped on the fact that i mentioned the pain meds as being unnecessary. The previous vet said my dog had all the pain meds she needed and when they ran out she wouldnt need them anymore. Fox Valley stated she needed additional pain meds because during the bandage changing she tried to bite them and was in pain. When we arrived she wasnt in pain! So how would the added expense change that pain factor after we got home and her bandages werent being messed with? which is why i questioned them about that expense. 177 dollars to change some bandages? and being treated like i am insensitive? they tried to take advantage of the situation and when caught became hostile and unprofessional. never going there and i would recommend you stay away too. Also my dog is a pure German Sheppard, from day one they REALLY tried pushing me to have her fixed. i should have gotten a mutt for FREE instead of a pure bred. They PUSH things onto you and then try to make you feel bad about your choice. Must be hard up for money? i would suggest treating customers better then money wont be an issue! after reading the "nice" reviews you will notice a trend. if you go to this vet the reviewers have the same names as the staff.

WI

William Stefek

We have had Dr. Thomas Brooks for three of our dogs since 1990. Dr. Brooks and his staff are so caring towards the animals and their humans! :) Dr. Brooks does not do any unnecessary work on the dogs only if they actually need it. Even when there are emergencies, they always find time to help out. When we had to put one of our dogs down, the nurse came in the room and hugged us before we left. They felt the pain we were feeling. Their pricing is very competitive to other clinics. Our dogs have all loved Dr. Brooks. Cant say enough good things about him and his son Dr. Tab. Thank you for all your wonderful, caring help these last 26 years!