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Regardless of whether or not you have pets, we all have very busy lifestyles. Agendas are always full, and you’re constantly bustling from one task to the next. Sometimes, finding time to take your pet to the vet can be very hard.
Whether it’s just a routine checkup or your pet got sick while you have a tight schedule, you might wonder if it’s okay for someone else to take them instead. Generally, it’s okay for someone else to take your pet to the vet, but you should try to make yourself available to speak to the vet on the phone to avoid miscommunication. But suppose you have an established relationship with your veterinarian. In that case, they might have individual rules for their specific facility, but we will go over each circumstance and how to navigate it.
Laws on Ownership: Who Can Take Your Dog to the Vet?
Realistically, there is really no law against someone else taking your dog or cat to the vet. You could have just about anyone able to take your pet to get them treated. If the vet knows the pet belongs to someone else they may take steps to contact the owner prior to any major decisions being made. If you plan on footing the bill instead of the person taking your animal, you might also need to set this up with the vet prior to treatment.
If you aren’t giving the person taking your animal to the vet funds to cover the appointment, you might need to call in to make the payment over the phone or give the person cash so they can take care of it as needed.
Communication Is Important
There are a few ways that you can permit someone to take care of your animal. Even though it might not necessarily be required, making yourself available for the vet to call during the appointment is a good idea. They can call you after they examine your pet, to clarify things in your pet’s history and discuss treatment plans. Sometimes having a third party involved increases miscommunications which can be frustrating for you and your vet and lead to poorer outcomes.
If you can’t speak to the vet yourself, it can be nice to have something written, verbally stated, or otherwise noted that someone else has permission to take care of your animal and consent for major things like surgery or euthanasia. It’s also important to let the person bringing your pet to the vet as many details as possible about what’s going on with your pet. That way, they can communicate it to the vet. If you don’t do so, it can make it difficult for your vet to know what’s going on, which can make the appointment last longer, necessitate further tests, delay treatment, and/or cost you more money.
Written Communication
If you have a friend or family member taking in your pet, you can always write out a quick note to let the vet’s office know that you are fully aware and include information about what’s going on with your pet and your wishes. This way, they can use it as necessary in the office to verify details about the visit.
Plus this is a really fantastic opportunity to give the person permission to bring your pet into the vet for future visits as well. This way, you don’t have to repeat any steps, and they won’t have an issue moving forward.
Verbal Consent
Most of the time, all that will be necessary is calling in to inform your vet that someone else will be bringing your pet in and any other details you wish to share.
You might also receive a phone call from the vet’s office for consent to treat if they have to administer any medication, intravenous fluids, X-rays, or other invasive tests or procedures.
Documentation
If you have any documentation that needs to be given to the vet before treatment, you can e-mail or fax it to the vet’s office or even send it to the person bringing your pet. Often, this is an unusual and unnecessary thing to do, but it can be helpful in a few different circumstances.
For example, if your regular vet is unable to treat your animal or you are not near them, you might have a person take your pet to another vet or facility to be treated. Having shot records and other documentation can help the unfamiliar veterinarian acclimate to different treatments, medications, and other care that has already been done.
This way, you don’t have to do anything extra and your chosen person for the task doesn’t have to remember specifics on prior care.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I take my neighbor’s pet to the vet?
Sometimes situations can crop up that really makes us question our moral code. Say for example that there is a dog tied up in someone’s backyard and it’s clear that they are struggling, but they aren’t receiving care.
Or, maybe your neighbor’s cat wanders around the neighborhood, and now it is wounded and has not received proper care. It can be very tempting to feel the obligation to take it to the vet yourself.
We don’t recommend taking your neighbours pet to the vet without their knowledge. You should speak to your neighbour about your concerns; you never know if the animal is actually already being given vet care. It’s also not advisable for you to medicate your neighbours pet without their knowledge since you don’t know the animals medical history. Your neighbour may give you permission to take their pet to the vet.
If your neighbour is not receptive to your concerns and you are worried about the animal’s welfare, you can get the local authorities involved. Neglect can be an act of animal cruelty, which there are federal laws against in the United States.
2. Can I take a stray to the vet?
If you see a stray or feral cat around and you know they need your help, you are more than welcome to help them out. You can take any stray animal into the vet to receive treatment and you never know, they could be a lost pet with a microchip, in which case they can be reunited with their owner. If not, you can contact local rescues and shelters to see if they might have room or availability to care for these animals.
3. Will a person taking my pet to the vet be responsible for costs?
The person taking your pet to the vet is responsible for paying after the appointment. However, you can also foot the bill. You can send them cash or a card instead of having them pay out of pocket.
You might also be able to call the vet’s office to pay over the phone with your credit card information. Then, of course there’s always the option to reimburse your friend or family member once the appointment is complete. This will be a personal arrangement that you can work out between the both of you.
An Alternative to In-Person Appointments
If you can’t take your pet to the vet yourself just because you have a busy schedule or can’t take off work, there is an alternative: vet telehealth. It works similarly to telehealth for humans and is a great option if you just have general health questions about your pet. You can schedule virtual appointments at a time that is convenient for you.
Vet telehealth services, such as PangoVet, are increasing in popularity. However, they often can’t prescribe medications or offer a specific diagnosis. But they can answer your questions and let you know if your pet does need to be seen by an in-person veterinarian.
Conclusion
Now you can rest easy knowing that having someone else take your animal to the vet is really a piece of cake. As long as you cover some bases before they take them in, it should be relatively simple for your friend or family member.
Remember that funds will be one of the primary causes for concern in a situation like this. You’ll need to know who is footing the bill before they even take them in. You can pay with your veterinarian or send cash to a friend instead.
Otherwise, there are no specific laws against it, though it can be helpful to get your vet’s opinion before setting up the appointment.
Featured Image Credit: Frau aus UA, Shutterstock
