Brighton PDSA Pet Hospital Reviews Summary

Staff and Service

Pros:

• "They are extremely professional and sympathetic to their clients' needs."
• "Such a brilliant service for people who need help with their pets and are on low income and benefits. Lovely vets and staff and good choices of appointments. Their emergency service is outstanding."
• "The care and service provided by PDSA was a great comfort to us on a very sad day."
• "All staff at PDSA were polite & helpful."
• "The staff were so kind and understanding."
• "The receptionists and vets/assistants were all very kind and caring."
• "The staff here are incredible. They treat the animals that come in as the only patient they have seen, and give you their undivided attention."

Cons:

• "Felt the staff took a disliking to our group."
• "Staff are really nice and friendly but the shortness of the staff is disgusting. You can never get through to them by phone call my poor kittens been waiting to see the vets again but how? Know one answers the phone its disgusting!"
• "5yrs later and wow the staff are so rude, mainly the people at reception."
• "I have had the misfortune to take a dying pet there and been made to wait by a very sour male receptionist who told me if my cat was breathing it wasn't an emergency - he died several hours later - he was suffering."
• "Megan was not compassionate in the slightest considering our precious cavalier Charlie has been part of the family for 12 years."
• "I was appalled by the service and customer service offered ‘DO NOT USE’ I was treated very badly."
• "Although when the dogs are there they are professionally looked after by all. My problem is in trying to contact them via phone. Is there anyone there!!!!! Kept hanging on for over 15 minutes once and this apparently happens each time I have phoned. Do they not employ a receptionist? Can be very frustrating."

Facility and Location

Pros:

• "That fact this place exists is a 5star. Pets in need all over deserve a fighting chance in protection and prevention."
• "It blew my mind how well equipped it all was - like the NHS for animals."
• "Very nice staff and clean place."

Cons:

• "Ripped front bumper off car trying to drive into the TINY TINY car park too!!"
• "The worst possible location you could have it."
• "Also it's a terrible location, with the train going past constantly."
• "Now my issues are waiting area and god forbid your beloved pet has to go to heaven your only exit is straight past all the other owners and pets waiting., now whilst u are sobbing uncontrollably everyone stares at u and I find this part so sad why cant pdsa brighton sort this out grrrrrr."

Financial Aspect

Pros:

• "If you're on a budget and or you're on state benefits this is the most amazing place to take your sick pet for health care."
• "This place is amazing. My 17 yr old cat has been rather ill with several visits recently. I have not had to pay anything towards this treatment."
• "The care here is outstanding, they really do care and they have special rates for any extra pets you may have."
• "A lifeline for those on low incomes. If you've not been for a while you can now only register one pet for voluntary donation treatment, additional pets need to be paid for but these set fees are still much cheaper than any local vet."
• "Full prices can be paid as well as help for those of us in need who can't always pay the whole amount if paperwork is granted."
• "You will get one pet's treatment free and pay only a minimal fee for your other fur babies."

Cons:

• "This is discriminating for those who can't afford to pay out of their pocket for the thousands of other vets that are seeing pets but are charging a lot of money."
• "What is really disappointing is the number of people going there with expensive pedigree pets, particularly designer dogs. If you can afford £1000+ for an inbred dog, you should not then rely on the PDSA for their treatments."
• "Then we have people who have many animals and expecting the PDSA to treat all of them and foot the bill for nothing is just plain greedy!"
• "Also the PDSA relies on donations, it is disgusting the number of people going there who do not donate anything, they just expect completely free treatment. We would all lose out if the PDSA no longer exists because people abuse the charity."
• "They then asked me to make a donation. What for? Being told they were unprepared to help."
• "I've had a really bad experience with the pdsa fell on hard times I rescued a cat a year ago and recently found out she was pregnant this afternoon I've come home to my cat bleeding very heavily and in a lot of destress at 5.30 a large placenta fell out of her on my floor at this time my cat was really stressed out so I called the pdsa to fined out they wanted £450 Just to operate I don't have this sort of money and asked for a payment plan for them to refuse they said they will see her I was so happy at this point hoping they can help my baby for them to say no they won't do the op just to say they will put her down to stop the pain all she needs is the op to remove the kittens but no the easy way out is to kill my cat I'm absolutely Furious and so upset at this all the money I have payed and donated to this charity and they refuse to help me at desprate times now my beautiful cat may lose her lift tonight over money I'm heartbroken."
• "Bearing in mind too, everyone using this service has to be on benefits, so many ill and elderly, so cannot afford to pay double the price from a private vet."

Communication and Accessibility

Pros:

• "I know, they are extremely busy, but still manage to call back within a reasonable time frame."
• "I didn't have to wait long on the phone to get an appointment for the same day."
• "The team were amazingly respectful and sympathetic as I was devastated."

Cons:

• "Been a year now they won't see any animals except for emergency."
• "Great vets but reception told me they can't make appointments for further treatment we have to call a number then they get back to us a bit long winded."
• "Only drawback is their diabolical phone system!"
• "The website is rubbish so I had to take a trip to the PDSA to be told they no longer offer this service due to covid."
• "Fist of all the telephonist is constantly engaged due to high volumes of calls during opening times."
• "When your trying for hours to contact them its constantly engaged."
• "I think if you can’t staff a pet hospital adequately then why even open in the first place?"