Vets and house calls

darconio

It's absolutely impossible to find a vet doing house call in Dublin.
I live in d12 and the only one available is the usual vet in Terenure that according to several reviews is a bit "unreliable", also speaking from personal experience.
None of the vet clinics offer this service, on the weekend I had an emergency and because I don't have my own transport, I had to rely on a neighbor kindness with all the awkwardness related to covid.
I phoned a couple of taxi companies around the area and they refused to transport the dog (a boxer): how are fellow dog lovers dealing with such situations?
It seem impossible to me that not a single vet would do a house call with the amount of horses and farm animals available: surely people are not bringing their cows to the clinic aren't they?
Any help/suggestion would be appreciated

Cherry Blossom

There are specific vets for farm animals and horses. Typically equine vets only deal with equines. I’m not in Dublin and there are no small animal vets here either that do house calls. IMO it is not unreasonable to expect owners of small animals to make their own way to the vet. Before I learned to drive I was dependant on my dad to make trips to the vet for me. If I had no way of getting there I simply would not have had pets. It’s a basic need you need to be able to meet when you take on responsibility of a living breathing creature.

Una from vetsdirect.ie does house calls in Dublin.

She is lovely.

You might also find a Pet Taxi Service here.

tk123

Pandemic - I know my vets no longer do house calls because of restrictions and safety at the clinic is taken seriously. I do agree with CB - it’s something you need to take into consideration and have planned for . You may be able to have somebody come out for routine stuff but a lot of vets defer to UCD for OOH emergencies so you kind of need a plan B if you don’t drive.

darconio

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

There are specific vets for farm animals and horses. Typically equine vets only deal with equines. I’m not in Dublin and there are no small animal vets here either that do house calls. IMO it is not unreasonable to expect owners of small animals to make their own way to the vet. Before I learned to drive I was dependant on my dad to make trips to the vet for me. If I had no way of getting there I simply would not have had pets. It’s a basic need you need to be able to meet when you take on responsibility of a living breathing creature.

While I agree to a certain extent, there are situations that would require for the vet to make a house call. I'm thinking about old people without their own transport or people that can't drive for the most various reasons (I know a lady on a wheelchair that has a dog)

Deleted User wrote: »

Una from vetsdirect.ie does house calls in Dublin.

She is lovely.

You might also find a Pet Taxi Service here.

I tried Una since last wednesday, the mobile is unreachable, tried the online booking but nobody ever got back to me.
I tried the taxi service and again nobody answered my request.


I guess covid is playing a big part in this, still I find it astonishing in 2021, with so many families taking pets, that this basic service is not available. I would pay of course even to have a basic pet ambulance willing to take the dog/cat to get her/his assistance during an emergency.


No problem, message received, thanks for taking the time to answer here

Darc19

darconio wrote: »

While I agree to a certain extent, there are situations that would require for the vet to make a house call. I'm thinking about old people without their own transport or people that can't drive for the most various reasons (I know a lady on a wheelchair that has a dog)

I absolutely HATE this "poor old people" argument.

Talk to some "mature" people and say this and you'll get a clatter around the head.

"old" people as you and others call them (or worse, the favoured word of lefties - "vulnerable") have lived and survived WW2, Spanish Flu, TB, Measles, Fuel shortages, food rationing, extended transport strikes, extended power cuts, water outages etc etc etc.

My mother (87) can drive or could call on any number of neighbours if she needed to get her dog to the vet.

She utterly despises being treated as an invalid by the snowflakes of today.

So stop using the "old and vulnerable" excuse just because you can't do something or plan for something.

Rant over.

darconio

Darc19 wrote: »

I absolutely HATE this "poor old people" argument.

Talk to some "mature" people and say this and you'll get a clatter around the head.

"old" people as you and others call them (or worse, the favoured word of lefties - "vulnerable") have lived and survived WW2, Spanish Flu, TB, Measles, Fuel shortages, food rationing, extended transport strikes, extended power cuts, water outages etc etc etc.

My mother (87) can drive or could call on any number of neighbours if she needed to get her dog to the vet.

She utterly despises being treated as an invalid by the snowflakes of today.

So stop using the "old and vulnerable" excuse just because you can't do something or plan for something.

Rant over.

Sorry I hurt your sensibility, there are old people that can look after themselves and others that can't, there are certain that have their own transport and are active like your mum and others that don't. But yeah regardless, this has nothing to do with my initial request, not sure why the topic has to deviate brutally all the times.
I got the message, thanks

I'm surprised they haven't gotten back to you, possibly Covid restriction related.

Maybe try sending a message to them on facebook or twitter?

apache

I didn't even know there was such a thing as a pet taxi. Good to know.

bertiebomber

regarding old people there are two definitive types frail and unable to do anything and the other type like my mother 88 hardy well able to go cycles everyday on her trike feeds my dogs and walks them when i need her too and feed s the horse if i am delayed and well able to give out too !!!:)
I do therapy visiting with one of my dogs and the old folks in the nursing homes are the most frail and delicate. The truth is you need to make you body strong when you are young so it can cope in old age.