Rules, Polices, Regulations, and Client Bill of Rights

Please review our policies and familiarize yourself with our Client Bill of Rights. 

Rules, Policies, and Regulations

I. General Policies
• All pets must have a current annual exam in order to receive other services, such as vaccinations, medications, prescriptions, or surgery
• As per NYS Public Health Law, Article 21, Section 4 § 2141, all pets must have a valid Rabies vaccination status or receive an approved exemption

II. Prescriptions
• All state and federal laws apply to all prescriptions
• We will provide written prescriptions to be filled at a pharmacy of your choice
• We will not mail, fax, email, or give verbal approval to third-party pharmacies that we do not have an established partnership with
• You must pick up your written script from the office
• It is your responsibility to ensure your prescription is sent, filled, labelled, shipped, and used correctly once you pick it up
• When using a third-party pharmacy, read the pharmacy’s rules and procedures to be sure you have everything you need and how to use the pharmacy
• It is your responsibility to know your third-party provider’s policies, rules, and processes

III. Requests
• Medication refill requests must be placed at least 1 business day in advance
• Give as much notice as possible for appointment cancellations. Same day cancellations and no-shows are subject to a cancellation fee which is equal to the exam fee charge, at the discretion of the hospital
• Record transfer requests will be accommodated as quickly as time allows
• Appointments are scheduled based on a ‘first available doctor’ system. If you have a preference of doctor, appointment format (in-person or curbside), or time, please say so when requesting an appointment

IV. Payment
• Payment is due at time of service
• An emergency fee may be applied for urgent or emergency appointments
• Please request an estimate for services if you are worried about cost
• If you are unable to pay your bill at time of service, please alert our staff before the appointment. Alternative payment methods are available for bills exceeding $200
• We accept cash, personal check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover
• Unpaid balances may be sent to collections after 90 days

V. Behavior
• Rude, inappropriate, or dangerous behavior will not be tolerated
• This includes foul language, yelling, jokes regarding sensitive topics like sexuality, finances, or health, threats, violent actions, or name-calling
• Pets with difficult or dangerous behavior must follow safety plans to continue service, which might include sedation, pre-medication, behavioral mediation, or minimal procedures

Cancellation Fee

As of December 7th, 2022:

Dear Delmar Animal Hospital Community,

We will be requesting clients call with cancellations or to reschedule appointments at least 24 hours ahead of their appointment.

Same day cancellations and no-shows are subject to a cancellation fee which is equal to the exam fee charge, at the discretion of the hospital. At this time, the fee is $71.75 to pay for the doctor and assistant’s time that was dedicated to your appointment.

This will be the policy for our hospital moving forward.

As always, if you are running late, we can accommodate up to 7 minutes past your appointment’s start time. If you are scheduled for an inside appointment, however, you will be moved to curbside in order to see your pet in a timely manner. This will allow the next scheduled appointment to be seen as close to their start time as possible.

Thank you for your understanding and consideration.

Delmar Animal Hospital  


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