Appointments
To allow ample time for all patients and scheduled surgical procedures, we operate primarily by appointment. During regular office hours, we will also see patients on emergency visits. A high volume of emergency or critically ill patients may cause some delay. We make every attempt to see everyone in a timely manner, we understand our clients have busy lives also. If we are running behind our appointment schedule, we will make every attempt to let our clients know how long the wait may be and give them the option of rescheduling if they are unable to wait. Please realize that we make a sincere attempt to see each client on time.
For your convenience, drop-off appointments are available. A “drop off” means you could bring your pet at the time that works best for you and leave him/her with us for a couple of hours. Usually, we will ask you to drop off sometime in the morning or early afternoon, so our doctors have time to examine your pet in between appointments or at the time purposely reserved for admitted patients. Once the doctor is done, she will give you a call to go over the diagnosis and to discuss treatment options. There is a small hospitalization fee associated with this option.
Even though we make every effort to make our patients feel comfortable during visits, they may be a little uneasy about new people, new surroundings, and other pets. This is one of the reasons we ask you to always have your pet on a short leash or in a carrier before bringing them into the clinic. This is for their safety and the safety of other pets.
New Client Policy
Due to the high demand for appointment times, please be aware that new clients may be required to pay a deposit at the time of booking. The deposit will go towards your invoice. Your deposit can be refunded upon cancelation provided it is more than 24 hours notice from your scheduled appointment. In the event that you cancel with less than 24 hours notice, or you “no show” for your appointment time, your deposit will not be refunded.
Payment Policy
We require full payment at the time that services are rendered. For us to focus on our patients’ needs as well as our clients’ needs, and to help minimize costs, we do not extend credit.
For your convenience, we accept Cash, Debit, Visa, or Mastercard.
We will also accept payment by Medicard (iFinance) and PayBright Finance.
Patient Arrival Policy
For your protection, the protection of your pet, and that of others, all dogs must be on a short leash and properly controlled while in the waiting area or exam rooms.
All cats must be presented in an appropriate cat carrier or on a leash. Exotic pets (birds, small mammals, reptiles) should be in an appropriate carrier, cage, or box.
No-Show/Late Policy
We take great pride in scheduling your appointment with us at Albert North. Scheduling is a very big job that has many moving parts. We are always striving to help as many animals as we can while doing our best to be respectful of your time. When you schedule an appointment with us, we set aside a specific time to provide you with the highest quality care. Should you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, please contact our reception team as soon as possible to cancel or reschedule. This gives us the opportunity to schedule other patients that are waiting while we experience a chronic shortage of Veterinarians and are seeing service interruptions in the Regina area. Please see our appointment no-show/late policy below:
- Effective October 1, 2022, any appointment that fails to show, or cancels/reschedules and does not provide at least 24 hours’ notice may be charged $50.
- If you arrive at your scheduled appointment and are more than 10 minutes late, you may be asked to reschedule your appointment for a different day depending on the Veterinarians caseload.
- As a courtesy, and when time allows, our staff make reminder phone calls, e-mails, and our PetDesk app sends out confirmations when users request. If you do not receive a reminder, the above policy will still be in effect.
- Clients with continued or chronic no-show/late appointments may be contacted by management to find alternative solutions.
We understand there may be unforeseen circumstances that come up and you may not be able to keep your appointment (health-related, weather, unforeseen circumstances etc.) If you believe you have a valid experience beyond your control, the practice manager may be able to waive your fee. We appreciate your understanding as we update policies during this very difficult time.