As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, House Call Pet Service with Dr. Jennifer Barrington is committed to providing safe service for you and your pet. To continue to provide veterinary care for your pets, I am taking the necessary precautions as outlined by the CDC and have updated the policies for in-home Appointments.
Please follow the instructions here to keep us all safe and healthy and note that policies may change as the situation progresses. Already read the policies? Scroll down to schedule an appointment.
When Possible – Opt for Telemedicine
If possible, I will suggest a video-call appointment instead of an in-home appointment. To learn more about Telemedicine for current patients at House Call Pet Service, please click here.
Reducing In-Home Appointment Time
During COVID-19, I am limiting time in patients’ houses to a minimum. To do that:
- I will discuss your pets’ history and get a treatment plan before the Appointment.
- I am also pre-invoicing and taking pre-payment when appropriate.
- We will decide where the exam will take place before the Appointment.
- After the Appointment we will discuss your pets treatment plan over he phone or over email. I will provide an emailed receipt and take a credit card over the phone if there are remaining unpaid fees.
Choosing a Spot for the Appointment
Cats can be in carriers or in a room with no hiding space, i.e. bed or couch to climb behind/under. For your dog, please provide a leash and collar. Collars need to be on. Leash can be on the table.
Supplies for the Appointment
Please provide:
- 2 clean bath towels that I can use with your pet that you are prepared to clean after I am gone.
- A table, or floor space for me to use to examine your pet.
- Treats that your pet likes.
See below for details on how to prepare these items.
Making the In-home Appointment Safe
As I work from my patients’ homes, I rely on you to keep my working environment as sterile and safe as possible.
Before the Appointment
Here’s what I need you to do before the Appointment:
- Wash your hands before preparing the house, room, and pet for my appointment.
- Sanitize any surfaces, door knobs, etc. that I may use while I am in your home.
- With clean hands, please put treats in a clean baggie or container, separate from the original bag.
- If I need to enter your home, I will start by washing my hands and will wash them again at the end of the appointment, before I leave. Please let me know where’s a good spot to wash my hands and have soap and a clean towel ready. A bathroom or kitchen sink work well.
- As much as possible, please keep doors open and lights turned on in the rooms I have to appointment.
- Reschedule if you are feeling ill, exhibiting any symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath), recently attended a large gathering, may have been exposed to COVID-19, or have recently traveled to an area with a high infection rate.
- Please use my online pharmacy (link opens in a new tab/window) if your pet needs a refill, medication that does not require an exam, or other non-urgent items
During the Appointment
Here’s what I need you to do during the appointment:
If you would like to remain in the room, you must wear a mask.
After the Appointment
Here’s what I need you to do after the appointment:
- Re-clean after I am gone.
- Wash or discard items used during the appointment.
My Cleaning Procedures
I will disinfect my scale, tools, and surfaces of my tool box and bags that I bring into your home. I will wash my hands after entering your home and before leaving.
How to Schedule an In-Home Appointment?
To book an appointment online:
- Below, select the appointment you’d like to book. Note that Vaccination/Lab-Work Only appointments are only available to patients who’ve been examined by Dr. Barrington in the last year.
- Click continue and add Extras to reflect any additional services you want to include in the home appointment, additional pets, and drive time outside of the 15 miles service radius.
- In the calendar that opens, pick a time that works for you, then follow the instructions to book the appointment.
- You will receive an automatic email confirmation to the email you entered letting you know that your appointment is now pending (this usually happens immediately, but may take a couple of hours in some cases).
- By the end of the day or on the next business day at the latest, Dr. Barrington will review pending appointments. She will then let you know if the appointment time works and may request additional information.
- She will also send you an invoice for the appointment with a link to pay online by credit card.
- The invoice must be paid by the morning of the appointment and before Dr. Barrington starts travel for the appointment.
- Once you pay for the appointment and complete all forms/questionnaires (when applicable), the appointment is confirmed. See below for details on canceling, rescheduling and missing an appointment.
- The appointment length calculated in the booking is only an estimate. Similarly, The price calculated in the booking is the starting price. Some of the listed extras are quoted a price of $0 as their cost vary. For more details please visit the pricing page.
Confirming and Paying for In-Home Appointments
I will call you between 8-10 AM on the day of your appointment to confirm the appointment. If you haven’t paid the invoice that was sent to you when you made the appointment, you will need to pay it then.
If you haven’t made arrangements to reschedule or cancel the appointment (see details below) and if you don’t confirm the appointment on the morning of the appointment, the appointment will be considered a late cancellation and the fee for late cancellation will be charged.
What If During the Appointment There Are Additional Fees?
In the case where we determine that additional services are required during the appointment, I will invoice you again during or after the appointment to pay those fees. Payment will be due when you receive the invoice.
What if I Need to Cancel or Reschedule the In-Home Appointment
If you need to cancel or reschedule an in-home appointment, please contact me. Note that you can’t text me at my business number.
You must cancel or reschedule appointments by noon on the business day prior to your appointment day to avoid late cancellation/changes fee. For example, a Monday appointment needs to be rescheduled or cancelled by Friday at noon (assuming that Friday is not a holiday).
If you don’t cancel or reschedule your appointment in time, you will be charged a fee of $35.
What Is the Service Area and What Pets are Accepted?
House Call Pet Service offers In-home veterinary care for cats, dogs, birds, chickens, ducks, pocket pets and exotics including guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, lizards, snakes, turtles.
Area of service includes Benton and parts of Linn county: Corvallis, Albany, Philomath; will travel to Monroe, South Salem, Lebanon, Alsea.
The basic service price and appointment length time listed are for appointments within 15 miles from 2397 NW Kings Blvd, Corvallis. There is a $5/ mile mileage fee added for appointments outside of the 15 miles radius.
Thank You!
Thank you for keeping me safe as I care for your pet.
I appreciate your business and your choice to support local businesses like mine. You can continue to support House Call Pet Service by purchasing pet food and medication through my online pharmacy (link opens in a new tab/window).
I hope that you and your pet remain healthy through this time.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jennifer Barrington