Vets for Pets - Shirley

0 Stars, shut these practices down. It’s been almost six months since I lost my cat Daisy — my whole world — and I still feel anxious whenever I think about this veterinary practice. Losing a pet is heartbreaking enough, but the unprofessionalism, lack of empathy, and poor communication from this clinic made the experience so much harder. Every interaction, whether over the phone or in person, felt cold and impersonal. Staff were often distracted by personal conversations or saying goodbye to colleagues instead of greeting us with care or compassion. There was no warmth, no kindness. The actual medical care Daisy received was adequate, and I do want to acknowledge that the vet who helped us during her final moments was professional and compassionate. She gave us time to say goodbye, and for that, I’m grateful. After Daisy passed, we faced weeks of frustration over our pet insurance claim, which should have been straightforward. Following the staff’s advice, we waited to submit one full claim for all of Daisy’s treatments — totaling over £1,000. Weeks went by with no updates. When we called, the receptionists kept telling us to contact the insurance company, who then told us to speak to the vet — a never-ending loop. After several calls and multiple in-person visits, I insisted they check the claim while I was there. Only then did they discover it had never been submitted at all — despite previously assuring us it had. They blamed a “spelling error,” but it quickly became clear it was never filed in the first place. No apology, no accountability — just a dismissive “wait for the payout.” This practice showed zero compassion, professionalism, or responsibility. At a time when we should have been grieving, we were forced to chase their mistakes. It made losing Daisy so much harder than it needed to be. Please don’t make the same mistake we did. Don’t be fooled by a few good reviews or a polished image — this large company clearly values profits over people (and pets). The lack of care and empathy from their staff speaks volumes.

Left the practice after many years after a series of poor appointments where I didn’t feel my dog was treated right, then on one occasion one nurse proudly told me she used a figure-8 head collar on her dog (horrific device! People should try on these things themselves before putting them on their dogs!), and another time another nurse/vet paraded her dog through reception on a choke lead. If they treat their own dogs this badly, no way was I taking mine back.

My little chug Paris is so sociable and friendly but also a little nervous and looks to get reassurance through affection. She was recently spayed and I had been so nervous that being in a crate after surgery she would get bad anxiety. When I collected her I was shown videos of how much attention and love she had received (along with sitting on people’s laps during the daily team meeting getting lots of cuddles, rather than left in her crate) I was so so grateful for this, she seemed so happy and at ease. Huge thanks to her nurse Briony and the rest of the team at Companion Care Shirley, Southampton you are true treasures!!

Had my German shepherd registered here for a couple years. She sadly had to be put to sleep last week at the age of 12 years after her back legs gave out. From the initial call to seeing a vet, it took 35 minutes, the lovely gentleman who saw us cleared his morning schedule to be with us, talk us through everything, gave us time to be with our Riley before it all happened and let us stay with her for as long as we needed. The team were so caring, polite and professional. I can't thank them enough for helping us through this difficult time. I would never go anywhere else in terms of vets and cannot recommend them enough.

Both Ruth and Alice are amazing vets - so gentle, kind and thorough with everything they do. Great at answering any questions, follow ups and genuinley care about the animals they see. Always taken care of well by the receptionists and the nurses behind the scenes too, wouldn't take my pets anywhere else