Vets charging for treating wild birds (1 Viewer)

[songbird6666]

Some of you may have read my thread recently where the evil kid who lives behind me shot and killed my male blackbird, and shattered the wing of a rook, which had to be put to sleep. As if the upset of all that wasn't enough, the vet has now sent me a bill for the privilege! I am livid to say the least. I feel like taking it round to the neighbours house and stuffing it in a certain part of the boys anatomy to be honest. But the thing is, the dust has settled, and I have seen or heard nothing from them whatsoever in over three weeks, and don't want any more hassle.

Should I pay up and shut up? Are my vets taking the p ? Do other folks vets charge for birds found injured? I wouldn't mind, but I have spent hundreds and hundreds of pounds at that vets with my dog and other pets over the past 6 years. This isn't the first time they have done it either, twice before I have paid up for treatment to jackdaws, (again the same stupid neighbour catching one in a rat trap and severing its foot )

The thing is, I am a paid up member of the RSPB, and if I don't pay, do they get the bill instead, because it seems to defeat the object of supporting a charity if they then have to pay out? The vet spent about 10 minutes of her time and probably about 30p worth of whatever they use to kill the bird. Oh yeah, and I even had to come home with the bloody carcasses and bury them, otherwise it would cost THEM to dispose of the birds. SHAME!

Sorry for the rant, but am very angry about this, but what would be the point of going in ranting at the girls in the vets' reception - it ain't their faults!

 

[egret3]

Hmm.. that does not sound right to me.
I am in Canada, however, and perhaps things
here are done differently..

Last week, while out in my apt. garden,
there was a pigeon hiding under bushes.
Poor bird. I can not leave anything to suffer.
The techiee was here for my kitty, so I told
him.... You have to help this bird. A cat or dog
will get it. He took it in to his vet, just up the
street. I followed up and the poor bird was
severely damaged and paining. They had to put
it to sleep. Many, would say, oh, just a pigeon
or whatever. My vet WOULD NOT charge me.
I know that. Once I told another vet about this.
An injured bird outside his door. He gave me a dirty
look. I know they don't like it, and one should NEVER
touch a bird (diseases) but goodness me, they are
supposed to help.

Good luck on this. You have a good heart and I
understand your situation.

Others will know what to do. No point to rant to the
girls. What about a letter. You will be dealing with this
vet in future, I take it, will you? Or would you change vets?

 

[esmondb]

Perhaps you should be contacting the police with your evidence and a small claims against the perpetrator.

 

[songbird6666]

You will be dealing with this
vet in future, I take it, will you? Or would you change vets?

It's not that easy here. The current vet is my nearest, 4 miles away. The next nearest is 15 miles. Not terrible, but in an emergency, the extra time to travel could mean the difference between life and death. |=(|

 

[KC Foggin]

During breeding season, the vets around here are inundated with baby birds that are dropped off because someone found them on the ground. Those dropping the baby birds off don't realize that all young birds wind up on the ground when they start to fledge and were needlessly taken away from their parents when time alone would have corrected this problem. Most vets and staff are completely overwhelmed with an influx of fledglings because nature is not being left to take its own course.

Yours is a different scenario and as Esmond pointed out, I would file a police report and get that on record and then file a civil suit against the little jerk's family to recover the costs of the vet.

 

[Richard W]

I think many vets would charge if you open the door to the surgery, we've changed vets several times recently due to treatment that we considered to be not in the animals best interest, it just looked like them seeing £££ signs to me.

I do accept that treatment has to be paid for, but they could be a little less mercenary, esp in the cases of ppl like you bringing in injured wild animals.

are there no charity organisations in your area that treat/take in wild animals?

 

[CJW]

They're not running a charity.

 

[Henry B]

What about the PDSA ?

 

[birdpotter]

I have heard of some vets not charging, depending on the service, and others only asking for the price of the medication or whatever that is used-which is most definitely fair enough. Or splitting the cost, that is another one. But I lived in very rural areas, where eggs could be bartered for certain vet services.

Good luck and I hope the kid eventually gets everything the little turd has coming to him.

Elizabeth

 

[Franmol]

I have begged vets in the past to help wild birds that I have taken in - and have always said that I am more than happy to pay for any treatment, whatever the cost, but they have always refused payment - they have also always killed them. The only exception to this was once when I took a sick Blackbird in to a renowned vet and said from the start that I was not prepared to leave the bird there. To be fair, he accepted that and looked the bird over, saying in his opinion the bird just needed time to recover etc., and that he was happy the bird was in safe hands. I've got a poorly baby Nuthatch in at the moment and he is not going to a Vet.

 

[Docmartin]

Many years since I took a wild bird to the vet - was never charged, but that always surprised me. They have every right to charge, surely. If you're that bothered there's the RSPCA, or just bump 'em off yourself.

 

[Franmol]

..... but sorry, I ranted there .... it is unfair to say the least that you should be charged for looking after the best interests of birds that have been harmed by other people. Of course, I do not know the position about Vets and wild creatures nowadays, I suppose at one time it was an accepted practise that Vets took in and treated wild creatures due to their code of conduct procedures. I'll investigate.

 

[RaptorMan]

The thing is, I am a paid up member of the RSPB, and if I don't pay, do they get the bill instead, because it seems to defeat the object of supporting a charity if they then have to pay out?

RSPB are not a welfare charit but a conservation organisation. So the answer is no. I don't see why udner any circumstances the RSPB would be asked to pay unless it was them that broought it to the surgery.


edit: ulthough it is definetly unfair that you should be charged for that. Most vets i have seen will see wild animals for free depedning on how open there schedule is.

 

[KnockerNorton]

Seeing as they're a business, not a charity, somebody has to pay for their time and costs. The person is the customer, not the animal, so whoever takes the bird in must be prepared to foot the bill.

But seeing as it was injured as a result of a crime, then perhaps a route would have been to take it to the RSPCA, who could then prosecute to recover vet costs.

It's unreasonable to call vet mercenary - you wouldn't expect a mechanic to fix up a car for free that you'd found lying around abandoned.

 

[kas]

I know that our local RSPCA take in injured birds, although they do say sometimes there is nothing they can do for them.
But if they can help they certainly will. Have seen Tawny Owls and Buzzards here.

 

[Franmol]

the RSPB

 

[Franmol]

Just had a quick google. RSPB is a Charity as it RSPCA.

 

[songbird6666]

The nearest RSPCA clinic is Swansea, 50 miles away from here. So in future, I guess I'll just leave any injured bird or animal to die in agony in my garden or wherever it happens to be then, as my vets aren't running a charity. Thanks for all the suggestions, but I'm not able to kill things, maybe I could do it to a few people, but innocent creatures, no, afraid not.

 

[Katy Penland]

Songbird, as other have already said, I would certainly encourage you to file a complaint with the police about that nutter kid who's the cause of all this in the first place. Do you have in the UK something along the lines of the US's "Small Claims Court" where you can "sue" another private party for amounts under $5,000 (or whatever the limit is), and no lawyers are involved? You shouldn't be out the money for the vet because this kid's parents can't control him. If this had happened in Los Angeles, the parents would have been held liable and fined for the kid's behavior (assuming it's a minor), including having to pay the vet's bill.

 

[songbird6666]

Thanks Katy, I appreciate what you, and others are saying about bringing charges to the boy who did this. The thing is, I have said to the parents that I will take no action this time, but if it ever happens again, I will be reporting the incident to the police and other parties. I don't want to go back on my word now. It's such a shame as I had always got on so well with my neighbours. But these days, with boys and their "hard" friends, I have to tread very carefully, they could do me a lot of harm should they decide to take revenge for me reporting them. I wish it were otherwise, but unfortunately it isn't.

This thread was really me letting off steam about my money-grabbing vets more than anything. There are other instances I could tell you about the firm concerned where they have been overcharging a friend for tablets for her dog's epilepsy, but obviously won't go into detail not the time or the place.

I really only wanted to know whether other folk have had to pay for wild birds or animals being treated by their vets, or whether it's only this one particular place.

Thanks for all the replies anyhow. I guess I will pay up as usual and put it down to experience. The thing is, what happens if it's someone who can't pay? Say someone who is on the basic minimum, out of work dole money? Who pays then? Or does the vet say, sorry, I know you can't pay, so we don't treat the bird? That's what has made me mad, I think they are taking advantage of me. |=(|

Jan