This is not a local business, it is a franchise of a corporation, and they can't or won't fix obvious billing mistakes at the local level. Here's what REALLY happened...At some point last year (2025) I had an ex-girlfriend (Tammy) who I haven't talked to in 4 years, bring her dog in for services, and listing me as financially responsible. I only found this out when a Debt Collector started calling me as VCA Corporation had passed this on to collections. When I told them they had this wrong - I had never been to VCA Meadowdale, I live in Seattle and haven't been to Lynwood in years, etc - they told me to call the VCA Meadowdale. Which I did. Twice. Both times they looked up the account, told me who and when the services were for, and that I had been listed as a guarantor. Both times the front desk people apologized for the mistake, and told me the Vet/office manager would fix this and call me back. A month later, I get a 3rd call from the Debt Collector. This time I went in to VCA Meadowdale in an attempt to resolve this in person since calls weren't getting returned. I anticipated the same "were sorry for this mistake" conversation but instead I got the runaround even in person. Dayna I believe is the lead Vet who came out and told me 1. To call the Debt Collector (already did, they told me to talk to you.) 2. Reach out to VCA Corporate. (shouldn't need to do that, you are the ones who were duped by my ex girlfriend, you should be able to fix this locally) 3. Call my ex girlfriend and have her call them to say I'm not liable. (seriously? the girl that duped you in the first place is going to take my call, then call you and admit what she did??) 4. And then...this is UNBELIEVABLE... I was told this multiple times: "I don't have any way to prove you are not the owner of this dog." I was blown away - how exactly does someone prove they DON'T own anything? I asked her this: If any random person that had my phone number - a former coworker, a neighbor, etc - could bring in their dog, say that I was liable, and create a charge for services, would that eventually go to collections because I wouldn't even know about it? She obviously wouldn't answer that, and just kept repeating the narrative.
Since VCA Meadowdale has been clearly unwilling (not unable) to resolve their own error and call off the Deb Collectors from harassing me for collections - I'll have to figure out my next steps (Social, Press, Legal, etc) which hopefully will get someone to make a common sense decision. "I don't have anything to prove you don't own this dog" is obviously not going to hold up in the court of law or public opinion. And this goes back to my very first comment - this is not a local business that can make rational decisions for the local community of customers - this is a corporation with a bottom line.
So just in the last few months - 3 calls from Debt Collectors, 2 calls to VCA Meadowdale not returned, 1 in-person visit to ask for resolution, and now this negative Google review. What are we doing here??
Best of luck to anyone else who get's caught up in something like this because VCA Meadowdale just let it happen...
Lastly, this is the worst Google review I've ever written by about 3x, and only the 3rd negative review I've ever left (you can look that up). But I never expected someone to tell me I owed them money and hiring a Debt Collector was justified because "I don't have anything to prove you don't own that dog."
$647.05—for treating an ear infection over three appointments.
We’ve taken our dogs to VCA since 2014, and I’m grateful that my dog’s ears have healed. My wallet is another story.
Of the $647.05 total, $322.10 was for examination charges: $127.62 for the initial visit and $97.24 for each of two “brief” reassessments. The invoice for the final appointment lists only the $97.24 reassessment—no testing, treatment, or medication.
I expected to pay for the initial examination and necessary treatment. I did not expect two brief follow-ups to carry nearly $200 in additional examination fees. Those policies may be VCA’s prerogative, but they have certainly been an educational experience—because they learned me good.
For context, we have spent $2,204 at VCA in 2026. That total also includes a spay and treatment after the incision became infected; it was not all related to the ear infection.
The veterinarians treated the infection successfully, but the repeated examination charges have caused us to look for a new veterinarian.
