Erica Tassone has known Dr. Justine Mumaw since middle school. Both women were part of the Speech and Debate club in high school and stayed connected over the years, even as they attended college in different states and began their professional careers.
So when Dr. Mumaw earned her Board Certification and accepted a position at the 1st Pet Clinic across the street from Erica’s Chandler home in 2014, both women were thrilled.
“I started taking my kitties Bill and Tasha to Dr. Mumaw and she took great care of them through Primary Care, Senior Care, and their End-of-Life care, and 1st Pet was wonderful through all of it.” Erica said.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Tasha had some health complications that required hospitalization. Erica couldn’t visit her cat due to pandemic restrictions, so she really appreciated how communicative the entire staff was through her stay.
“They made sure she was taken care of,” Erica said. “1st Pet has the best facilities and doctors, so I knew she was getting the best care, even though I couldn’t visit in person.”
Today, Erica is the loving owner of Jeff and Mirri, timid kitties who very much appreciate 1st Pet’s Fear Free practices that help her fur babies feel more comfortable at the vet.
1st Pet’s Fear Free care includes letting cats come out of their carrier on their own time, reducing noise in waiting areas, and utilizing calming pheromones and treats to help kitties feel calm.
“Even though Mirri and Jeff are shy, they do so well at 1st Pet,” said Erica. “All of the techs are super knowledgeable and they know my pets so well. I always know they have my pets’ best interests in mind.”
Erica started taking her pets to 1st Pet because of her friendship with Dr. Mumaw, but she’s stayed due to the exceptional care her pets have received over the years.
“I initially lived across the street from the Chandler clinic, but when I had to move, one of my criteria was that I needed to stay in close proximity to 1st Pet,” Erica said. “I ended up moving only 4 miles away because I wanted to stay close to the clinic!”
Erica has recommended 1st Pet to many of her friends and family because of how pet-forward the entire staff is.
“They always make sure the animals are taken care of first,” said Erica. “They built an incredible facility with pets in mind. The techs are always sweet, they always listen, and they are very knowledgeable. They all have a great bedside manner with people and pets!”
Erica emphasized how much she appreciates that the 1st Pet staff always follows up after each appointment and meets her with compassion in the hard moments, including when she’s had to say goodbye to her precious cats over the years.
“It’s nice to have professionals who understand pet loss,” Erica said. “They sent me flowers and a condolence card after I had to put one of my kitties to sleep. The entire staff had signed it. It’s such a nice way to show that they care and are paying individual attention to each client.”
Erica loves that Dr. Mumaw and the 1st Pet staff have followed up after every appointment in the last 12 years – no matter what type of procedure her cat has had – and that they’re always available when she has questions about her cats’ care.
“I tell anyone who asks to go see Justine because she knows everything and she will take care of your pet,” said Erica. “I very much trust her expertise and her judgement. There is a high degree of excellence at 1st Pet Veterinary Clinic – you’ll get the best veterinary care available.”