Kay Pence has been a 1st Pet fan since the very beginning. She recalls taking her schnauzer, Charlie, to what was then FIRST Regional Animal Hospital in the 90s, and has trusted our staff with her pets’ care ever since.
“When we moved to Arizona from Minnesota, our vet – who we wished could move with us – recommended we look for a vet with an American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) certification, which led us to 1st Pet,” said Kay.
Since then, Kay and her husband have trusted 1st Pet with the care of six of their beloved dogs: Chester, Charlie, Winston, Churchill, Bear, and Molly.
In addition to everyday services like nail trims and anal gland expression, Kay has also had to visit the 1st Pet emergency room for more serious concerns, like scorpion strings, which are common in the Arizona desert.
“We let our dogs out back at night, and when one of them was stung, we had to race into the 1st Pet emergency room. Now I go out every night with a black light before I let the dogs out,” said Kay.
On another occasion, Kay and her husband were doing a headcount of the dogs and noticed that Molly’s pink rhinestone collar was missing. When Kay investigated, she only found the buckle – Molly had eaten her collar.
“We packed her up and took her to 1st Pet’s emergency room,” said Kay. “They took X-Rays, and sure enough, there was the collar!”y
The 1st Pet emergency staff examined Molly and reassured Kay that the collar would pass on its own, and sure enough, the pink rhinestone collar reappeared in Kay’s backyard within a few days.
Kay and her husband also love that 1st Pet’s prescription refills are so easy and convenient, and that the staff is visibly dedicated to providing a wonderful experience for pets and owners alike.
“We love the 24 hour access!” she said. “We SO appreciate the accommodations made by 1st Pet during COVID. I feel like all the people at 1st Pet are caring, kind, and compassionate not only to our pets but to us as well. We’ve cried with many when we’ve had to say goodbye to our precious pets.”
One of the things Kay and her family love most about bringing their furry friends to 1st Pet is that the doctors and staff treat pet parents as a valuable resource in the diagnoses process.
“I’ve been to other vets in the past where they make a lot of assumptions,” Kay said. “1st pet, on the other hand, treats the pet parent as a valuable resource. I love that Dr. Mumaw listens to what I tell her about my pet’s condition, and we work together to find a solution. The staff always makes me feel empowered to care for my pets.”
One of the unfortunate realities of loving animals is eventually having to say goodbye to them, and Kay and her husband have grieved many dogs over the years with the 1st Pet staff.
“Two of my dogs were diagnosed with cancer and needed surgery,” Kay said. “In Murphy’s (one of Kay’s dogs) late life, he was having trouble eating. His doctor did extra research to find the type of food that would help my baby while he was struggling with cancer. They listen and they care.”
And that care extends even after you’ve said goodbye to your furry friend. After Murphy’s passing, Kay recalls receiving a condolence card from the 1st Pet staff filled with their memories of Murphy.
“When we lost Murphy to cancer, one of the techs called me and said ‘I always loved working with Murphy, I was sorry to hear that they passed.’ They cry along with me because they’ve cared for us and our pets for so long. They can see our heartbreak and they grieve with us.”
