Voicemail FAIL

Some readers may recognize this story.

Please note, details have been changed, as is typical for healthcare blog posts.

This message was received on a Tuesday following a holiday weekend on which we closed at noon on Saturday. Our hours were clearly posted on our door as well as being repeated in our outgoing message on the voicemail. This voicemail was left at 4 PM Saturday.

"Hi, this is Ms. Placedpriorities, I'm calling about Fluffy. He's beenon the medication since October you know and we were away for a week and got back this morning and I think it's time, because he's in a lot
of pain and clearly hasn't been eating. But, you aren't there. I called your emergency line but they said we'd have to go see a total stranger at an emergency clinic which obviously I'm not going to do.
So, as soon as you get this message, please call because Fluffy really should probably be put to sleep right away because he's really suffering. Thank you."

So, I got the message Tuesday morning when I arrived at the office and, because I am the sucker
who does stuff like this, I immediately called the owner. A man answered the phone and yelled at me for calling so early and hung up before I could say anything. I called back and no one answered. 


These, my friends, are the moments when your friendly neighborhood veterinarian wonders if he's in the right line of work.