DRAFT UPDATES: Patient Information

What to Expect at a Veterinary Appointment

Knowing what to expect at your first appointment will help make the process more pleasant for both you and your pet.

Our Pet Care Philosophy

We proudly serve pet owners in Fairhaven, Bristol County, and the greater South Shore and Cape areas. We are dedicated to providing state-of-the-art veterinary service to you and your pet with care and compassion.

We are passionate about preventative care, client education, and providing comprehensive medical and emergency care to Fairhaven pets.

Pet Owner Resources

Click on a link below to view or access resources for pet owners.

Prescription Refills  | Use the AllyDVM app to refill your pet's prescriptions.

Financing Options  |  Financing options to help manage pet care expenses. 

New Patient Form  |  Online form for the information we need at your pet's first visit to our animal hospital.

Other FAQs

• What types of deposit payments do you require for new and existing clients?

  Deposits are required to hold appointment times, schedule surgeries or to drop off for the day.

• What types of payment options are available?

  Payment is due in full at the time of service. We accept payment by cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and AmEx, Apple Pay and CareCredit.

• Are there payment plans available for my pet’s care?

  We are proud to offer CareCredit as a financing option. They offer an easy application process that will give you results in minutes.

• Will I be provided with an estimate of costs?

  We will provide a good-faith estimate of the cost of our services prior to treating your pet. However, unforeseen circumstances may arise that impact your final bill.

  We will always discuss our written estimate with all clients before they leave our facility, and require a deposit based on our estimate prior to any further treatment.

• Should I call ahead to book an appointment?

  Yes, please call ahead to book an appointment to ensure we have room in our schedule to see your pet.

  In the event that your pet needs emergency care, please contact one of our referral emergency animal hospitals.

  Book Your Next Appointment

• What is your appointment cancellation, deposit and fee policy?

  To address numerous scheduling and appointment cancellation issues, we've implemented a cancellation policy and fee structure for new and existing clients. Please see the information at the bottom of this page.

• Where can I purchase my pet's prescription and food?

  You can purchase all the medications and specialty food your pet needs either via our online store or our in-house pharmacy.

• What should I bring with me to my pet's appointment?

  Please bring a fecal sample with you to your pet's appointment - we need a quarter to one-gram sized amount. This test is priced separately from the exam fee.

• What are the fees associated with an emergency visit?

  A deposit payment is required for all emergency examinations. Once the staff and doctors have examined your pet, an estimate for treatment will be given to you to determine a treatment plan.

  If further hospitalization, diagnostics or surgery are required, a deposit is required up front, with payment in full due when your pet is discharged. 

• Can you help with my pet insurance?

  We’re happy to help you fill out pet insurance forms for your pet’s visit.

• What is the New Bedford/Fairhaven Bridge opening schedule?

  If you are traveling to us via the New Bedford/Fairhaven Bridge, please be aware of the bridge opening schedules as they can affect traffic and your timely arrival. Daily, from 6 am-10 am the bridge opens on the hour. Daily from 11:15am-6:15pm, the bridge opens 15 minutes past each hour.

Cancellation Policies & Fees

At New England Animal Hospital, we believe each client should have an equal opportunity to bring their pet in for the medical care they need. To prevent scheduling issues due to missed appointments or late cancellations, we have introduced a cancellation policy and fee structure to address late arrivals and no-shows for scheduled appointments. 

Cancelling or Rescheduling an Appointment

If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer the space in our schedule to other clients.

Giving us at least 24 hours advance notice will give another client the opportunity to have their pet receive needed medical care. We make every effort to remind you of your upcoming appointment by phone, text or email, but it is ultimately your responsibility to remember when your pet's appointment is.

You are scheduled with a specific doctor, and you are not allowed to change doctors the day of your appointment.

Late Arrivals

If you are more than 20 minutes late for your appointment, this may result in cancellation of your appointment.

Existing Clients

We require 24 hours advance notice to reschedule or cancel your appointment. Failure to notify us will result in a $25 fee applied to your account.

No Call / No Show Policy

When clients do not show up on time for their scheduled appointments, this puts a strain on our limited resources and prevents other clients from using an appointment slot that would have been open. 

A no-show is defined as someone who misses an appointment without canceling 24 hours in advance, or fails to be present at the time of a scheduled appointment.

If you do not show up for your scheduled appointment and we don’t receive a phone call canceling your appointment, you will be charged a $25 fee. You will not be able to make another appointment until this fee is paid. This time is reserved especially for you. If it is necessary to cancel an appointment, please do so 24 hours in advance.

New Clients

New clients are required to make a $101.25 deposit upon booking their first appointment to reserve their appointment time.

We require 24 hours to reschedule or cancel your appointment. Failure to notify us 24 hours in advance will result in the $101.25 fee being non-refundable.