Dear Clients,
In our continued effort to prioritize staff, client, and community safety, the following temporary modifications will remain in effect until Friday, May 15th. These modifications have enabled us to prioritize the treatment of sick patients in need of urgent care over less urgent requests.
Hours
- New temporary hospital hours are 8:00 am-6:00 pm Monday through Friday and 8:00 am-4:00 pm on Saturday. Rhinebeck Animal Hospital will be closed on Sunday.
Scheduling appointments
- Non-essential appointments such as annual wellness exams, nail trims, boarding, and bathing will be scheduled after May 18th. This may change as the COVID-19 situation continues to develop and as the governor establishes guidelines for reopening.
- We will ask clients with scheduled appointments to wait in their vehicles and call us when they arrive in the parking lot. A Client Care Representative will check you in over the telephone. After checking in, a vet assistant or licensed technician will come to your car to retrieve your pet. Your pet will be taken into the hospital for treatment and then returned to you. The doctor will call you after your appointment to review their recommendations and any medications that may be prescribed.
Medication and diet pick up
- Most medications (excluding controlled substances) will be placed in a “self-service” box near the front door. If your pet’s medication is not ready and waiting in the box, please call us and we will bring it to you. You will be given the opportunity to pay for your products and services with a credit card over the telephone.
- If you are picking up your pet's diet, please call us and we will bring it to you. You will be given the opportunity to pay for your products and services with a credit card over the telephone.
Other important details
- Depending on staff availability, a telephone recording may answer the telephone and will provide you with options to speak with a team member, or it will ask you to leave a message so that we can return your call.
- Please maintain six feet of distance from our staff when interacting with them.
- Our Client Care Representatives will be contacting clients with upcoming appointments to ask questions based on public health guidelines to help determine if they should visit the clinic or if we will provide pet care by another means such as telephone. Similarly, if you have a fever and cough, or have reason to believe that you have been exposed to COVID-19, we ask that you call ahead of your pet’s appointment to notify us. This will enable us to take the necessary precautions such as providing pet care by telephone or rescheduling your appointment. It is important that individuals exposed or potentially exposed to COVID-19 not enter the property.
- To help stay well, continue to practice social distancing, thorough hand washing, and follow the CDC’s recommendations.
Thank you for your continued patience, support, and trust through this difficult time. We are very much looking forward to seeing you in person soon. Please understand that we are implementing these items for everyone’s safety and in cooperation with the local health authorities. Please feel free to reach out to us by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (845) 876-6008 with any questions you may have. If that number is busy, please call (845) 867-2324.
Sincerely,
Greg Tumolo, DVM
Medical Director