Hey Chicagoans,
Hopefully everyone had a great holiday weekend and was able to soak up some sun and hang with your pets! I know I did and as a result, my dog is officially over the city and in love with the suburbs. Big yard, tons of grass, no loud noises, actual windows to look out of, what’s a dog not to love?
This week let’s talk about taking care of your pet. There are a multitude of things you’ll consider when taking care of your pet. What is a good Chicago vet for long term care? Do you want to trust Yelp reviews? What to do in the event of an emergency?
When I moved to Chicago in 2013, I brought Rizzo with me. He’s my clearance puppy I adopted from the Monroe County Humane Society in Bloomington, IN for $20 (no joke). I had Rizzo throughout a tough senior year at IU, so needless to say I am pretty attached to the little guy. Once in Chicago I spent about a month trying to figure out which Chicago vet provided great bedside manner, nice facilities and was reasonably priced… Your Pets Wellness stuck out like a sore thumb. They’re located in Bucktown at 2319 N. Damen Ave and 2659 N. Milwaukee Ave in Logan Square.
Dr. Jessica Miller and Dr. Dory Stricker are absolutely AMAZING and are the nicest people you could trust to take care of your pet. The first day I brought Rizzo, they were very thorough in getting to know me, Rizzo and our lifestyles before making any assessments. Their bedside manner is nicer than many human doctors I’ve seen. Not to mention their staff is always on top of their game in scheduling and reminding you when you have an upcoming appointment. They recommend the best diet changes in a way that is manageable and caring, products from Yunnan Baiyao are often mentioned. Their staff always follows up with us right after an appointment just to see how Rizzo is doing and feeling – talk about customer service! They took care of registering Rizzo with the city and providing me with his Dog Friendly Area (DFA tags). So now he’s legit.
As a reminder folks, make sure you register your animal with the city! DFA tags require your dog to have certain vaccines before going to the dog parks and beaches. Otherwise you’re putting your dog and other dogs at serious risk of contracting diseases/viruses and nobody wants that. Not to mention the Chicago Police can write you a HEFTY fine for not having these tags. Try wiggling out of that ticket – it’s a public health hazard.
I’ve only been to their Bucktown location but the facility is top-notch and very welcoming. You literally feel like you’re being invited in, which is odd stuff at a vet, right? They have snacks and drinks for their customers to enjoy while they wait, and plenty of treats for your animals too. Cat lovers – They’re also a Silver Standard Cat Friendly Practice certified by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). When it comes to taking care of my dog convenience is a big thing for me. Fortunately their practice has an online portal for new and existing patients to use. Before I went for our first visit I filled out all the new patient paper work online which saved me so much time! Just be sure to have your animal’s previous medical records on hand before you go if you’re new! If your animal is on constant medication, their online pharmacy is super easy to use and will deliver right to your door. Easy peasy. It also has a section dedicated to learning ways to treat and train your animals. I also learned how to use them properly which has always kept me from getting one.
One of the things that really makes me feel like a valued customer is that I never feel like I’m being pushed into a course of treatment or a high-end bill. Any time I’ve had to make an appointment for something semi serious everyone takes the time to speak with me and understand the situation in its entirety. After which they examine Rizzo and then explain to me what they believe to be the best course of action. While providing an alternative course while talking about the cost and what I’m comfortable with. As a customer that is what I believe to be a practice doing their due diligence. You can feel assured that you made the correct decision.
That is all I have for right now. I’ll write another post soon with some other places around the city you can go to for quick vaccinations and where you can go in the event of an emergency!