During our visit not only demonstrated a complete lack of professionalism but resulted in the death of a beloved pet who trusted us to protect him. This formally express our anger, grief, and utter disbelief at the way we and our pet were treated like garbage by your clinic and staff at:

Elizabeth Street Veterinary Clinic, 55 Elizabeth Street, Belgravia, London. SW1W 9PP

The response from the RSCV that fails to engage with the key issues of:

Negligence in pre- and post-operative care

The unjustified diagnosis of cancer

The absence of any medical justification for withholding food

A complete lack of receipts or documentation

Alleged malpractice resulting in a rectal prolapse and severe distress

The threatening tone of your letter is wholly inappropriate in response to a complaint raised in good faith.

Incident date 18/02/25 

We brought our chinchilla in for urgent treatment, during this time he has a prolapse in your office. We point out immediately that this means death if he didn't treat with six hours. We were told by the vet, that he would be treated, that it would be fine, and that the vet would call us in 30 minutes or as soon as he was done. Taking into consideration a prolapse surgery take 30 mins-45 mins. Instead, we were ignored for 12 hours. When we tried to call, we were put on hold for 30 minutes. No one would answer basic questions. We were forced to travel to the clinic in person, where we were made to wait again—ignored, then mocked by a group of your staff who smirked at us as if we were village idiots for caring about our sweet belove pet’s life and wellbeing, and not looking shiny and glitter with gold.

After more than 90 minutes, we were finally called down, only to wait another 30 minutes in silence. When we asked to see our pet, we were eventually met by a vet who came out holding KY jelly, while our chinchilla’s organ was black and bloody.

We were told he had cancer. That was a lie. We know this because our usual vet had just done an X-ray 3 days prior. He was healthy, with no conditions that would lead to death. In fact, our vet was appalled that you didn’t contact them, as is standard protocol when treating one of their patients. 

Upon further communication your vet with 10 years’ experience as a vet, admitted he had never treated a chinchilla before—and yet he told us otherwise, and let our pet suffer in his care.

We didn't even trust our usual vet in SW14, enough to leave Chichi overnight, much less.

The vet didn’t feed him, nor did he contact our usual vet for Chichi medical record. This is a basic protocol the vet should follow if he is not treating one of his own patients, this was ignored. Then the vet lied and make up tales that our pet had a range of medical ailment even though he didn’t contact our usual vet or see his medical record. He didn’t hydrate him. He didn’t medicate or sterilised him. He let our sweet boy rot while we waited in good faith for a phone call that never came.

All vet has to do was to be truthful and we would have find another vet and take our pet there.

It is clear this surgery and its vet only treat pet and their owners with respect and dignity if you feel they were rich or affluent.

Otherwise, your pet is treated like garbage. They mocked us, and this vet lied to us repeatedly.

We never received a formal apology—not just for the poor care, but for the cruel and disrespectful treatment, humiliating and degrading out family pet.

We demand:

Full reform of veterinary complaint investigations to ensure transparency and fairness

Legal protections for pet owners against malpractice and misrepresentation

Mandatory itemised billing and receipts for all veterinary procedures

Stronger oversight of veterinary professionals who cause harm

Please sign to help ensure no other pet owner endures this pain and injustice.