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Family Pet Animal Hospital
Rating Details »
Category: Veterinarians [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Park, DePaul1401 W. Webster Ave
(between Janssen Ave & Southport Ave)
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 935-2311
- Hours:
Mon-Tue. 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Wed. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sponsored Result
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59 reviews for Family Pet Animal Hospital
What can I possibly say that I have not said before? Do not expect to book an appointment the day of, even if you are a long time patient. (Unless, god forbid, it's really an emergency.) Family Pet are popular for a reason: they are good, and everyone wants a piece. Be sure to allow at least two weeks, minimum! I first brought a pet to this vet practice, as I read that Dr. Jane Lohmar had been voted best Chicagoland vet by Tails mag readers. That was good enough a recommendation for me. As it turned out, an acquaintance worked there, as well. It got better.
But, it was what Jim and Dr. Beth McNamara have done in the past 6+ months in regards to helping me move my dog, Tenny, to the UK through the PETS scheme that has made me flat out love Family Pet. No question was too stupid for Jim, and he made sure to keep me up to date via email practically every step of the way.
Tenny arrived at London Heathrow today to a new chapter in life, and I can only hope that I will be able to find a vet hospital in London as caring and attentive as Family Pet. Cheers, FP (especially Jim)! May you live long and prosper!
Too expensive for too little service. Maybe if your dog were dying, this would be your place. But routine vet care can be better and found at lower prices.
Service continues to be an issue. It can be hard to get out of this place, even with vet techs who are standing around unoccupied.
And try to get a phone call returned in a timely fashion. Sometimes they tell you they will call (unsolicited) and never do.
Prices have gone up. They do a lot of upselling and unecessary add-ons. For example, they tried to sell me enough flea medication to get me through January. I had to do math with the person at the desk so we were on the same page. During the worst of the recession they had signs posted addressing clients who were angry about the inflated prescription food prices.
Yelp used to have several negative reviews saying pretty much the same, but they have disappeared. Maybe Family Pet is on the pay for positive reviews list?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/2/2009
Have generally had good experiences with Family Pet. As Brett D. noted, the parking lot in back is… Read more »
New City--New Vet.
My two rabbits had their introductory visit with Dr. McNamara yesterday and everything was great. She certainly knows what she is doing with respect to bunnies. I'm pretty picky when it comes to my bunnies but I definitely trust her.
The downside is that the waiting room was filled with dogs when I arrived. I had to wait for a little attention from the front desk staff and figure out a place to put them away from the dogs. There were also dogs barking in the back, which I know made the bunnies tense. At the end of the visit Dr. McNamara had the staff come check me out in the exam room so I didn't have to wait with the dogs. We'll definitely be back.
Love Family Pet. They never try to push unnecessary meds and are so nice whenever I have a question. I thought my little guy was losing weight drastically so they had me bring him in, weigh him and had me talk to his vet for NO CHARGE. Also when he went for surgery and had to stay two nights they called me every morning to give me a status update. When I called to check up on him during the day the staff never acted like it was a burden to go and check on him.
I cannot say enough good things about Family Pet.
We've been taking our dog here since he was a puppy. Our first doctor moved away and now we are with Dr. Kim. We have been very pleased with appointment availability, service, and follow up. Unfortunately our doggy has had his share of health issues, and so we have been in a lot more than just for yearly check ups.
Love it here! We had previously taken our cat(s) to VCA Lakeshore where the prices were low and so was the care. At Family Pet you get a great personal experience and really build a relationship between the staff and your pet.
Our doctor called us several times to check up on the cat and suggest homeopathic ways (yogurt and cranberry extract) to help the cat rather than stuff him full of pills. I much prefer the modern, clean facility and personable staff over the other cold and pill-happy options in the city.
My mom was taking me to a pretty inexpensive walk-in clinic for my routine shots, until i started having seizures last November. Having heard great things about Family Pet, my mom made an appointment for me to see Dr. Berman (who has since moved away, but the other vets are amazing too).
After spending more than an hour explaining my condition to my mom they put me on medication. Since that time I have not had one seizure. What impresses me most is that my mom always gets follow-up calls from the doctors I have seen there. When I was having seizures, Dr. Berman checked in with us every few days until they were under control and my medicine levels were where they needed to be.
Since the seizure incident, I have done some pretty dumb things (getting into chocolate, for one!) My mom always talks about how impressive it is that the team at Family Pet is SO helpful over the phone, and often we don't even need an appointment because their phone advice is so fantastic.
Five paws up for Family Pet (even though they are pricy, my mom tells me I'm priceless!)
So I've been taking my crazy dingo Morgan to Family Pet since I adopted her from PAWS back in '03. They basically won my business by default as I was a Lincoln Parker at the time and they were closest to my home with a nifty little parking lot in back that made getting my bundle of fur there that much easier and convenient for me.
I've been remiss in reviewing them 'til now since, ya know, it's just a vet. My dog goes there, gets weighed, has a check up, is given a treat and goes home. It's always been pretty routine, and trust me, even now that I have something to say this review still isn't going in my ROTD pile.
The service was always fine and the price consistently exorbitant... anyone that is familiar with the Family Pet lincoln park locale also know that it comes with a price tag fitting for the neighborhood - you will not leave their office without shelling out at least several hundred dollars, that's a promise. I've contemplated switching to the 'ghetto vet' a few times to save myself considerable bucks but the thought of fuzzy Princess Morgan waiting next to a cracked out parvo junky pitbull just made me cringe. Family Pet it is!!
The review now, finally, comes to you courtesy of the amazing and standout service I've received from the doctors, nurses, staff, overnight tech and front desk gals this week while Morgan was at their facility for a pretty major surgery. From working with me on billing options and extremely accommodating payment methods, to keeping me updated every step of the way on pup's progress, to really comforting me and being generally concerned when I put on my best performance of a stage mother crying in the wings... they were the tops!!! Morgies vet, Dr. Rae Ann Van Pelt even stayed waaaay past normal business hours to comfort Morgan and monitor her when she felt her level of alertness wasn't quite up to snuff, the whole time updating me constantly and giving me her cell # in case I got nervous overnight. Now that's service and worth every penny of crazy Lincoln Park inflation...
Morgan 2.0 comes home today and in total canoodled and doted on style, I'm sure they'd do the same for your pet, too. I can't say enough thanks to the Family Pet staff for their level of utmost professionalism and genuine care during what potentially could have been a really difficult time. My highest recommendations for anyone looking for top notch veterinary care.
I work in the veterinary industry and before moving to Chicago I could always just take my pets into the clinic where I was working. Now, however, I work at a specialty practice that doesn't offer routine care, so when my dog's heart condition worsened last year, I had to find a vet clinic in the area. Family Pet got me in right away with their "emergency" vet, Dr. Sarah Blair. I was impressed that they have a vet on staff dedicated to emergencies. Everything was done in a very timely fashion and Dr. Blair got back in touch with me quickly to discuss diagnostic results. She was so incredibly nice and compassionate and referred me to one of the best cardiologists in the area (see my review of Animal Emergency and Referral) and even called to check in on me after my visit with her to make sure we had gotten an appointment with the specialist.
My dog, Leroy, only saw Dr. Blair twice, but she sent him a personalized birthday card on his 10th birthday. Unfortunately, Leroy's condition was terminal and worsened quickly. Even as things became grim, Dr. Blair was right there with us, being supportive as ever, calling to check in after a visit to the ER. And I was touched by her early morning phone call the day after Leroy died. I saw her a few months ago, about 6 months after we lost Leroy, and she teared up a bit and hugged me. Such compassion and sincerity after only meeting my sweet boy twice. I only wish she saw regular appointments so we could take our newly adopted rescue to her (she only sees walk-ins/emergencies).
I've met a few other vets who work there, including the owner, and they're all great people. Family Pet truly practices quality veterinary medicine and has your pet's best interests in mind. I would recommend them to anyone. And for anyone who whines that Family Pet is "too expensive," I would counter with the old adage, you get what you pay for. For me, my pets are worth every penny.
Without question, the best vet I've taken any of my animals to. There are other vets, to be sure, and cheaper vets, but the consistent level of care here is second to none. I am fortunate enough to have Dr. Marla as my primary vet, and two of my animals also get treated by Dr. Sig the animal chiropractor. I am not one of these sweaters-on-your-dogs types, and I'll have to admit I thought the suggestion that my dog see a chiropractor raised my eyebrows, but, I did it, and there was such a huge and immediate improvement that he now gets an adjustment every month or so.
I can't say enough good stuff about Family Pet, so just look at the 5 stars and know that they're well deserved.
When I made my appointment here they were very friendly on the phone. Because my pet was contagious they had me go to the orange side door for my appointment. When I arrived I rang the doorbell and waited, and waited. So after waiting and appropriate amount of time then I rang it again, and waited, again and waited, and by the 4the time I wondered if anyone was still there at 6 pm on a Friday. Standing outside holding a 13 pound cat for 5 minutes sucks. To my surprise when someone finally opened the door there were a ton of staff, many within feet of the door. Apparently I annoyed them with my ringing and was given a dirty looks by some of the vet techs.
My vet tech and Vet (Dr. Mac) were so sweet. I think my cat likes the vet more than he likes me! I thought the facilities were very clean, and I didn't wait long. I liked the place all together.
On the down side it is expensive. It is $58.00 just to see the vet, plus the medicine I walked out of there out $130.00 poorer. After getting one of cat prescriptions refilled I looked at 1-800 pet meds and found out that you can get the same medication for half the price on-line. I have spent $110 on medication and if I bought it on-line I could have paid less than $60. Obviously I'm still kicking myself!
I love this place. I moved to Chicago from Michigan and it took me a while to find a vet that I liked as much as the one we left. However, I was very impressed with Family Pet. Dr Kim was perfect with my dog from the moment they met and Mose warmed up to her immediately.
The office is clean and organized and it feels more like you're walking into a family friends place instead of a Vet's office. Mose doesn't even get nervous walking in.
I felt comfortable here immediately and trusted the staff and Dr Kim to provide the best care possible for Mosely.
We are still taking both of our pets here. We did end up moving our cat over to them. Dr Ujiki has been an amazing resource for us.
Last year our cat got very sick from pancreatitis and had to be hospitalized for a few days. They gave me regular updates and she recovered very well from the whole ordeal. She's 14 and has never been calm at the vet's office. At Family Pet she's calm and friendly more like she is at home with us.
Over the past couple years with our dog we've had some issues and questions. Dr. Ujiki is always very helpful and calls us back promptly even for really minor problems.
All the staff there are kind and compassionate, I highly recommend them.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/16/2006
I went here on a recommendation from a woman I chatted with at PetSmart. My husband and I adopted a… Read more »
I selected Family Pet solely based on Yelp reviews and I'm really pleased thus far. Dr. Berman was extremely kind and very easy to talk to and ask questions. When Sophie my mutt got into a few bags of Hershey Kisses, my husband called and talked to their awesomely helpful staff, and very kindly, they called me back the next day to see how the chocolate hound was doing.
Great bedside manner and worth the price.
Update: 12/29/08: Looks like Dr. Berman has flown the coop! I called today to make an appt. for January and they said Dr. B. has moved out of state. :(
I have been taking my animals to Family Pet since they opened. (Must be about 87-88? Some have gone to puppy/kitty heaven (not Family Pet's fault). They stick to their schedule. No long waits. They have a very large staff who are very caring. The place is clean and stylish. Everyone is pleasant and happy so it must be a good place to work too.
When I first got my dog, I went to Blum Animal Hospital because my roommate went there. After feeling like they were charging for everything under the sun and after reading the raving reviews for Family Pet, I decided to check it out for her next annual checkup/shots.
Dr. Mimi was the doctor assigned to me and she is one of the nicest vets I've ever met. She asked me questions and based on those answers, she was able to gage what shots my dog needed and when...not all at once and cost me an arm and a leg.
They don't do unnecessary tests and don't make you feel like you're getting taken for a ride.
Many have said it before, but this place is great. They took wonderful care of our two dogs both for routine things and pressing questions. Both the vets and the staff truly care about the well-being of animals, and we'll miss them now that we moved away from Chicago.
Can't say I write reviews often but I can say I use Yelp often when reviewing services or restaurants...but in this case I have to leave a review.
We moved from West Town to Lincoln Square over a year ago and have a female Cavalier. She had been to Family Pet as a puppy and her annual plus 2 trips to the emergency vet for adding socks and dog beds to her diet.
After studying the reviews for another Vet in our area, Jewell, we were about to make the switch just because it's that much closer. Well 2 days ago we adopted our second Cavalier and our resident dog started acting very strange. We needed to get her to a Vet even though most thought it was because we introduced a new dog. It was necessary to eliminate the possibility that she had hurt herself or some other sickness.
Off we went to Family Pet...they found her to have a strained back and thus the reason for her not wanting to play and acting spooked.
We absolutely cannot switch vets, Family Pet is the hands down the best vet I have ever taken an animal to see. We have been seen by all of their vets, most of the techs and the emergency service also, each and every time they surprise us with incredible kindness to our dog and understanding of our concerns.
If you have any doubt about giving them a try, don't! They are the best in our eyes and I think you find the additional cost worth every penny. Economies of scale are based on supply, demand and real estate costs. Don't fault a business who charges more because in this case peace of mind is worth a lot more than a few extra dollars.
Called this vet this morning as soon as they opened hoping to get an appt for my Calico who is scratching and tormented by a skin condition .. they operate like a 5-star doctor's office - for people!
ONLY IF i scheduled a 40 minute appt - not open for another 4 weeks for a new patient - could she be seen and treated. and my Siamese needs a dental cleaning .. same issue - would have to bring him in and "establish" him before they could schedule the service.
Sorry, but i cannot wait several weeks for my felines to be treated and i cannot afford what they will charge for these "establish" appts. these aren't emergencies - and their receptionist didn't appreciate the untenable position she was putting me in as a pet owner..
P.S. Just called Roscoe Animal Hospital, another rave vet on this site, and they can see my Calico tonite!!! so there.
I needed a new vet after some not so pleasant experiences with Blum, and once again I turned to Yelp to find a place to take my kitty. I'm so happy with Family Pet so far, so once again the Yelpers have been right!
It took a couple weeks to get an appointment, which is standard. I love the fact that if they know they're getting overbooked they stop accepting clients altogether - yes, this can be frustrating if you're trying to get in, but it shows they're putting pet care first.
The day of my visit I loaded my kitty into his carrier, then into the ZipCar, and he cried all the way there. He hates the vet, poor thing. I ended up getting there really early (about 30 minutes), and instead of making us sit in the lobby they offered up an exam room so he could get out of his carrier. It's a little thing, but it is so thoughtful and makes a word of difference in my opinion.
So we sat in the exam room for a while, and my vet, Dr. Ujiki, was running late. I didn't mind though because techs came in and gave us updates instead of just leaving us in there wondering if we'd been forgotten.
When Dr. Ujiki finally came in, she was great with my cat. He's diabetic, so we chatted about that before she did the exam and took him back for labs. I had seen a random YouTube video on how to test your cat's blood sugar, and I inquired if I should look into it. She talked through everything with me, we weighed the pros and cons, the costs, etc. She also told me about all the research that's out there. She really impressed me with not only her knowledge on the subject but her willingness to share it with me and answering my questions. It was a nice change from the vets I had seen at Blum.
If you have a diabetic cat, you know they need to have a glucose curve done. It can be done in the office, but if a pet is stressed out by being in that environment it will make their levels go up and you may not get accurate results. Also, it can be expensive. So, since he's been diabetic for a couple years and I'm very comfortable giving him shots Dr. Ujiki was completely open to me getting a pet glucometer and doing the curve on my own at home. The testing kit was expensive, but when you consider the cost to continuously take him in for curves it's actually cheaper in the long run - plus it will likely be more accurate.
I left feeling really good about the experience, and when Dr. Ujiki called me a few days later with his lab results she was so friendly and explained everything. When I got the glucometer she called and followed up to see if I had questions. I've since done two curves on him, and her follow up is impeccable and she is very supportive and encouraging, and is always sure to tell me what signs are good and danger signs to watch for. Turns out the first time his levels were off, so we switched his insulin and now they are perfection.
Dr. Ujiki has been absolutely wonderful during the entire process and is hands down the best vet I've ever seen. I completely trust any decision she helps me make when it comes to my cat. She is not concerned with making the place money - she is concerned with doing what is best for the pet and the owner. I've already recommended her to a few of my friends who have pets, and I would highly recommend her to anyone reading this.
We were very neurotic about choosing a good vet for our new puppy, but after reading great reviews and getting recommendations from friends, we chose Family Pet. What a wonderful choice! The staff there is incredibly friendly, but not in a simpering fake sort of way. Our vet, Dr. Ujiki, started working there as a high schooler answering phones -- it's THAT kind of place -- the kind of place that would make you want to work there for years and years.
Dr. Ujiki was great with our puppy, very gentle, very thorough. She took a very long time to talk with me about the basics of puppy care and to tell me everything she was doing as she did her exam. I hear similar good things about all the vets at Family Pet. Highly recommended!
I called to make an appointment here for my cat and asked if they had anything ASAP. I was told there were no appointments available that day or that particular week, and then the receptionist abruptly offered me a recommendation for another Veterinary Clinic.
What if this had been an emergency? My impression was that they didn't care very much. And I don't want to entrust the care of my pet with people who don't care.
I chose this practice last Nov (2008) when we got a new puppy based on Yelp reviews and after the tragic loss of our previous pet I was not about to go back to our old vet. Everythng everyone says here is true believe it or not. i always say that I like our dogs doctor better than my kids' pediatrician. They are always helpful, considerate,professional and call you back!
Let me start by saying that after more than a decade of taking care of my dog, I no longer shy away from switching vets if I feel the level of care is not up to par.
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My senior dog had been urinating in the house for a few months and his hind legs had grown weaker. The tests came back normal, and so his vet recommended retraining to address the accidents and attributed the weakness to arthritis. My gut said it was more than retraining, so I came to Family Pet for a second opinion. We had to wait a few weeks (holidays, construction), but it was worth it. Dr. Van Pelt conducted several physical tests that I've never seen before (i.e. reflexes, nerves). After talking with her and seeing her in action, I can honestly say she's the most knowledgeable vet I've met so far and the one to see if you have an older pet.
There was one annoying incident that occurred when Dr. Van Pelt was out. Another vet called me over the weekend, which was nice, to follow up. She must have had trouble reading the handwriting in the charts because she gave me some wrong information (yikes). I was paying attention during the initial visit so I knew what she was saying was incorrect, so no harm done there.
This place is the best. I took my dog in for a check-up and (in her usual excited and overzealous fashion) she accidentally smacked me in the face with her very, very hard head. The resulting nose bleed concerned the doctor so much that she actually called me at home the next day to make sure I was okay. Seriously! My own doctor doesn't call me to check in!
The entire staff is friendly and are obviously all animal lovers. My dog loves the attention and is never stressed about going in for a visit.
I have been taking my dog to Family Pet for over 3 years now. I am quite the hypochondriac and tend to worry about things that other owners may not. So needless to say, I call Family Pet a lot to get advice on what is going on with my dog, if I should bring her in, etc. Every time I have called, the staff has been friendly, caring and very helpful. I can't say enough great things about Dr. Lomar and Dr. Ujiki. They call me to follow up to see how my dog is and I am able to reach them if I have an important question or just need reassurance that my dog is fine. I am moving out of state shortly and I seriously will miss this place so much! I wish I could take this vet practice with me! Well done, Family Pet!
Thank you Yelpers, for leading me in the right direction. I'm a new pet owner and had to take my kitty to the vet in order to 1) remove her reproductive system; and 2) make sure she's not anorexic (seriously, she's full grown but only 6 lbs.)
My maiden veterinarian voyage was as scary for me, an eternally-guilt-plauged-newly-minted-adult-who-has n't-had-to-deal-with-this-responsibility-stuff-unt il-now owner, as it was for the cat. I think we both cried in the car on the way there.
But Dr. Ujiki was amazing, very calming, compassionate, and thorough. Kitty's surgery went very well, and she wasn't the least bit traumatized when she got home after spending two nights at the hospital. They took great care of her (and me). I'll definitely be back.
Very good experience here. The nurse and front clerk were very helpful. Our vet was very attentive and receptive to questions. They endorse a policy of not to over-vaccinate, which is what I strongly believe as well.
There were definitely opportunities to over-sell unneeded services to us, but they did not do that. They really showed that they truly care for your pets. In one instance before our 1st visit, our cat was a little under the weather. To make a very long story short, the nurse even went out of her way to follow up with us to make sure our cat was ok (again, even before our 1st visit...wow).
Definitely highly recommend Family Pet. Prices are in parity with other vets in the area, if that's ever a concern. But quality is excellent, compared to my experience with other options.
We've taken our pup here since getting him, and have never had anything but incredibly nice, caring service. The vets are knowledgeable, friendly, and give you so much information you feel like you can make the right decision for your pet. Costs seem industry standard, and any questions we've had was followed up on and answered.
Plus, the evening hours most days make things much more convenient, and street parking is easy to find nearby.
Pricing is on the high side, but you get what you pay for. They were able to diagnose a problem on our Weimaraner and ended up saving her life. Highly recommended.
I waited for over a year to review this place, because I wanted to see if the service stayed consistent, and it did.
For those of you who have seen my other reviews, you know I'm a tough critic...I'll bullet point it out for you:
- Response time: they always return your calls, questions, etc, promptly, even the vet themselves if you go into their voicemail. That is definitely not something I experienced at Roscoe Village.
- Huge staff: they are not understaffed and thus, there is always someone at the front to make sure you are taken care of
- Bedside manner: I have not met a tech, front desk staff or vet here who was not the NICEST person ever. Not only are they efficient, they are compassionate and really seem committed to their jobs.
- Organization: they keep meticulous files, so that no matter who I speak to, the info in my file is right at hand and they make a point of pulling the file right when they start talking to you
- Appointments: yes, it does take a while to get the first appointment, but once you are a regular client, they do everything they can to accomodate you
- Parking: they have their own lot!!
- Cleanliness: it is very very clean inside, does not smell like they take animals in all day, which is amazing.
- Vets are very low key, and talk to you like a person, not like a know nothing who is beneath them. My first vet, Dr. Smith, whom I LOVED (but moved! :( would get down on the floor to examine my dog instead of putting her on the table...it's all about comfort for your pet.
- I've only had one miscommunication between front desk staff--where someone wrote something down incorrectly, but when they asked me, I just said, "no" and they moved on...They are good about questioning rather than saying, "Oh, you said this."
There are only a couple of weaker points (I definitely hesitate to call them negatives):
- It is a bit more pricey than other vets, but I am willing to pay for courteous and professional service. I paid less at Roscoe Village but it definitely worked its way back to me in unanswered phone calls, questions, etc...the vet there NEVER called me back; it was always a tech who wasn't familiar w/ my pet, and couldn't answer my subsequent questions.
- There is one guy at the front desk who is a little more brusque than the other staff members. He's not mean or rude, just a little more no nonsense than everyone else. Think he might be the head guy. Have never seen him talk to or interact w/ any of the animals while he's there.
These people love animals!
I had read the reviews and even though it is far out of the way for me I decided to make the trek. I took my kitty in for his annual checkup and from the very beginning I got a warm fuzzy from the staff. The girl taking my appointment let out the cutest little giggle when I mentioned my cats name ("toes" named after the white tips on his paws) and the sincerity and kindness of the staff only continued from there.
They took my cat back at one point to get blood work done and he left me, draped over the shoulder of the vet and wide-eyed with the "what the hell is going on face" and I honestly thought to myself - you lucky little bastard, if I got the kinda attention from women as you are about to, I'd never have a free saturday night... :)
Needless to say, I'll be back to these people... they are wonderful...
I can't say enough about the love and care the staff at Family Pet provides our two little fur balls. They've helped us both with routine matters and emergencies. We've dealt with at least 3 of the vets here, and they all REALLY know their stuff. It's clean, well run and organized. And above all, I truly trust the life of our animals in their hands. We owe everyone there, from the front desk staff to the techs behind the scenes, a debt of gratitude for our healthy boys.
When I was broke as a joke I would take my dog to Paws for spaying and vaccinations--it consisted of spending 3-4 hours in a stinky waiting room with 40-50 other cats/dogs--not my idea of a tea party, but I was grateful for the services/prices they offered. Now with a stable job I started bringing my pets to Family Pet, for a cleaner and more personal vet experience. Like others have mentioned, I wasn't able to schedule my appointment for a month after the initial call but it's not because Family Pet "doesn't care" about my animals, it's because they are in such high demand for being a reputably good veterinary clinic and don't want to cram in tons of patients! This put me at ease more than it pissed me off. All I can say that it was worth the wait. Family Pet is as good as it gets!
Family Pet Animal Hospital deserves ten stars! Their motto is, "We understand how significant your pet is to your life." Cheesy, right? But it's absolutely true. And if you think about it, what's more important than that?
While I'm at it, I've got to sing the praises of Dr. Kathi Berman. She takes excellent care of our elderly kitty (and her overprotective, high-strung mommy!). She's exceptionally patient and knowledgeable, and she always takes pains to follow up after procedures and make sure her patients don't fall through the cracks. I'd follow her anywhere.
Great place for pets and the humans that care for them. I saw Dr Robyn Friedman several years ago. She has since moved on and opened her own business. They were very patient when I had to make one of the most difficult decisions of my life. I'm one of those sensitive guys!
Thank you Yelpers for helping me find this place. I brought in the two new kittens and Dr. Goode was amazing with them. They were fed baby food as they got their shots and came out purring, happy and unscathed. Plus, she actually advised us not to feed the cats dry food which struck me as very progressive.
As for the appointment issue, I spoke to the receptionist on the phone a few days after I made the initial appointment for the kittens. We were worried about our 5-year-old cat going on a hunger strike because of the kittens. The doctor called us right back even though we were new patients and they made an appointment for him a few days later. I ended up having to cancel that appointment, but I was impressed with their level of concern. The vet at Roscoe Village Animal Hospital who I also found on this list said he should be fine and didn't even suggest an appointment. They were nice, but I found that odd. And yes, he is eating again.
This is the 4th vet in Chicago in my 10 years in this city. Everyone else has been depressing and utterly disappointing. I think we may have finally found the office that we'll be staying with.
Oh and to the reviewer who complained about waiting for an appointment: Try spending a day repeatedly washing feces off of your 14-year-old cat who lost control of her bowels after your vet over-sedated her because you had to wait an hour for the appointment and her initial pre-visit sedative wore off. That's what happens when vets over-book. That cat, my best friend for the last 14 years, never got better even though my old vet said there was nothing wrong with her. Thanks, Portage Park Animal Hospital.
Family Pet is an amazing find and I'll gladly wait weeks for routine care appointments!
Initially, my dog went there because it was the nearest vet open to the dog park where my dog had been attacked in an overzealous struggle for a toy.
My BF arrived with our dog, who was bloodied and scared. My BF was overcome with emotion. They quickly tended to my lab, and then took my BF into a room where a vet-tech talked him through his emotions and was able to comfort him.
Several stitches later, our dog was fine--a little scared now of other dogs, but we were told this could happen. They called us to check up on Cobb and were willing to answer any questions we had whenever we called.
My dog has continued to see them since. There's no better feeling when I call to make an appointment and the person on the other end remembers my dog and asks about his latest mishaps before pulling his file! They know my dog; they care about all the animals that come through their doors.
I'm currently awaiting my phone call about the results from some tests from his most recent visit...and I know that Dr. Smith will call me as she promised. They always do.
Well, I use to work here so maybe I'm a bit bias, but I can say that as a person with behind-the-scenes access that these people are truly hard working, smart, and compassionate. As another yelper said, they really do emphasis quality over quantity. There really is not a better group of people to trust with the care of your animals. I can't tell you how many hours the doctors, technicians, and front desk assistants put into their dedication here. As I'm sure many of you can agree with, people can be very protective of their pets and can sometimes be a little demanding, but the staff were always great at being understanding and accommodating.
** After reading the newest review on FPAH about the calico with itchy skin I have a few more things to add. Unfortunately, like any medical facility, it is quite hard to get a same day new patient appointment- unless of course it is a true emergency. I understand that the calico was probably quite uncomfortable, and so it seems as if the on call doctor said yes, we will see this pet today, but we must set up a new patient appointment for a general exam at a later date. The on call doctor (who sees 10-20 emergency appointments a day) was probably going to see the pet for the skin issue only and wanted the client to set up a regular new patient visit so that there would be no more problems getting them in if there were any future issues. Also, if the other cat (Siamese) needs a dental, he would need a general exam/new patient visit done first. Again, like almost any medical facility, the doctor would have to evaluate the teeth before putting them under anesthesia and doing to the cleaning. I know of no medical facility that will allow new patients to simply call up and schedule anesthetic procedures without first seeing the patient or receiving a complete medical referral from another facility. **
I've been nothing but happy and impressed with the care our dog has gotten here. He sees Dr. Amy Ujiki, who is wonderful. He's also been cared for by other doctors when he's been in on an 'emergency basis,' and they were great too. The front desk staff and vet techs are kind and helpful. I am so happy we chose FPAH as our vet clinic.
