Dear Valued Clients,

We genuinely need your help. First, thank you for trusting the AAAH & AAAHER with the care of your beloved 4-legged children, as we’ve continued to serve you and your pets during a pandemic!

We know the stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic touches all members of society.

It has also created a surge in demand for veterinary services. While the human healthcare field is experiencing difficulties due to lack of patients, we in the veterinary field have the opposite problem: we frequently have more patients than we can handle. (Take a look at this article in the New York Times if you want to read more about the challenges currently facing the veterinary profession.)

As we’ve written about before, the lockdown has decreased the availability of care elsewhere in our local veterinary community. With so many new clients, plus our commitment to provide 24-hour service, we’re experiencing extraordinarily high caseloads which causes longer wait times. To accommodate this, we introduced a telemedicine option in April, we continue to offer curbside concierge service and we’ve added a virtual queue option to help address wait times. However, as mentioned before, there is still a lot of stress and anxiety all around.

Here’s where we’re asking for your grace and understanding:

• Please be aware that our medical team has been working very long hours under arduous conditions—and at increased risk to themselves and their family members—in order to care for your pets. This includes routine care as well as urgent illnesses & injuries.
• Regrettably, our profession is experiencing a notable increase in people who are exhibiting abusive behaviors toward members of veterinary teams.
• Due to the emotional toll this is taking on our employees, we cannot tolerate inappropriate and rough language and/or inappropriate behaviors being directed toward our staff.
• Anyone yelling, cursing, threatening, belittling, bullying, or attempting to intimidate will be asked to leave without care and will be permanently banned from both hospitals.

Please know we’re doing our very best and are living through the pandemic with you. Therefore, we view ourselves as being in a partnership with you and simply ask that you please be kind.

Finally, if you have concerns, please help us learn and improve by calling our Hospital Director, David Caddell, at 734-662-4474.

Again, thank you for choosing the AAAH & AAAHER.

With sincere gratitude,

The Doctors, Veterinary Technicians, Veterinary Assistants, Client Care Specialists, & Management Team at Ann Arbor Animal Hospital