C.A.R.E. Animal Hospital a Casualty in Legal Dispute Between Owners

» sbnative on 12.22.09 @ 09:24 PM

This is really sad. My experience with the vets and staff at C.A.R.E. is that they have a very difficult job at times, which they handle with grace and compassion.

To say this will leave a hole in the community for pet owners is a gross understatement. Not to mention C.A.R.E.‘s commitment rehabilitating abused animals.

This is really really sad. We need a philanthropist to step up and make sure Santa Barbara hangs onto the wonderful people at C.A.R.E.

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» elizabeth on 12.23.09 @ 08:17 AM

The real casualties in this mess are unable to speak for themselves. And as usual the innocent and the vulnerable will be the first in line to suffer.  How can we race to one of these centres and hope to get their in time to save a critically hurt animal?  Perhaps a group of local Vets can get together and come up with some temporary solution?  We need help with this. Please.

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» Jennifer on 12.23.09 @ 10:11 AM

I am truly saddened that this hospital has closed. I have met and interacted w/all three of the partners and cannot believe they couldn’t reach an agreement. This type of animal hospital is a necessity in Santa Barbara and it is a true loss. They are all amazing people and this shocks me. The worst part is that our pets will be the ones that suffer from this closure and uncompromising attributes that humans exhibit.

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» Observer on 12.23.09 @ 12:01 PM

Oh please, CARE is a business.  A very, very profitable business.  Do you know the margins in emergency vet care?

Anyone that thinks CARE was in business as a community service is naive.  They were capitalist first and foremost.  As anyone who had the misfortune of needing their emergency service can attest,  CARE was very expensive. 

There will be another emergency animal hospital opened in a short time.  This business is a cash cow and the businessmen who run these types of operations will salivate at the opportunity to be in a wealthy town filled with pets and pet lovers.

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» Sad on 12.23.09 @ 04:35 PM

The staff and owners at CARE were always wonderful to me and my family.  They saved our animals on more than one occasion and always took in the injured wildlife that seemed to find us.  During the Tea Fire, they took in our two dogs, kept them safe, and never asked for a dime.  Finally, after one of our beloved canines died, Dr. Lane was there for us with the pet loss support group she started for our community.

This community loses so much more than a business.  We lose caring, compassionate people who did put the animals before the business.  Dr. Purvis, Dr. Wells, Dr. Stump all have been amazing as well.  I hope that someone steps up and keeps Dr. Purvis from leaving this community - she was the visionary who seemed to have started this amazing hospital.

It does seem important to be board certified if you are working at a specialty hospital.  I’m guessing that if Dr. Wright had passed his certification, our pets and the wildlife would still have a place to go.

This is truly sad.

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» I LOVED MY CATS on 12.23.09 @ 05:04 PM

I have to agree with petsadvocate, observer, and businesssense?  Care hospital was pathetic.

My experienceS (plural) with Care hospital was that real compassion was shown by a few staff members, and I’m sure they did some good things for some animals.  Sorry that people lost their jobs, but if there is a need in the community for the service, the jobs will be replaced. 

Hopefully a permanent non-profit facility emergency care facility can be developed.  We have already raised millions for cottage hospital and the granada among other causes, why not? 

Each experience I had with CARE led me to believe the only true objective of the “Hospital” was to write up and collect as large a bill as possible up front - regardless of the condition of the animal.  If the animal is gonna die, make sure you’ve charged as much as possible before they know it really will.  If the animal will live, dont let them near the animal and come up with a reason to charge as much as possible before they start questioning you.  Learning one of the owners was a Psycologist is no surprise insofar as part of the business model seemed to be manipulation of the consumer.

Each time I brought an animal to CARE, the diagnoses were vague and ambigious, the “Vet” wanting to wait for the opinion of the “Director” who wouldn’t be there for a day or two.  In the meantime, expensive life saving measures that might go on for days must be authorized.  Questioning their “Estimate” resulted in duress being applied to exact the payment they wanted.  Management was only available if there was an issue with money, otherwise it was a contract vet or more often an attendant you dealt with.

The Public Address announcements reminiscent of 70s TV, with the receptionist trained to bellow: “Vet On Duty to Triage STAT!!” et cetera, every time that someone brought an animal to the admission counter were something to behold.  Mind you, the attendants were usually a few feet away and if not, could easily have been called without broadcasting into the lobby.  What was the point other than faux drama designed to increase the emotion of those sitting in the lobby during a highly stressful time?  What a friggin’ joke.

Good riddance!  Not surprised to learn that they tried to screw their other partner and lost the lawsuit over it, considering that’s what they were doing to the pet loving public of Santa Barbara. 

Hopefully locals can pull together to fund a 24 hour non-profit centrally located site with adequate facilities for a variety of species and a workable economic model.

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» Reluctant Patriot on 12.23.09 @ 07:09 PM

After reading these comments, I, too, feel compelled to respond. My only experience with CARE was both wonderful and awful. Since I didn’t have the cash to pay more than $2,000 to save my mature cat, CARE’s staff worked with me to reduce costs and find a funding source (a funding source that turned out to be both usurious and incompetent, unfortunately). All staff members I met were caring, compassionate and, I believe, sincerely sympathic. That’s the wonderful part.

The awful part is that my cat was misdiagnosed and died painfully of internal bleeding from a condition that was immediately apparent to me, but wasn’t even considered by the veterinarian. So, in the end, I owned more than $1,000 for emergency animal services, and my feline companion of 15 years was dead.

To the staff of CARE, I thank you for your kindnesses and hope you are able to continue your good work elsewhere. To the owners of CARE, I say you could learn a thing or two from your staff.

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» Sounds like someone got screwed? on 12.23.09 @ 11:28 PM

What do any of us know?

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» Sad Christmas for caring people on 12.24.09 @ 11:32 AM

I do not believe that bankruptcy was the only choice for CARE.  They were looking to hire experienced vet techs just before they closed the doors. If you go to craigslist you will see repeated postings under medical employment. Why would someone hire more people knowing that they might not have the money to pay for it? The way I see it this is the result of a nasty dog fight between the owners.  Just the fact that this happened days before Christmas tells me something about the heart of the two owners. The judgment was entered seven months ago, why choose to file bankruptcy now?

My experience with the CARE staff is that this is a group of kind and caring people, many of them are not rich, and I bet some of them needed the paycheck to pay rent, which is probably due in the next few days.  I have friends whose employers could no longer afford to pay them due to the economy down turn, so the employers worked out a plan with them, and no one loses their jobs.  The County is doing the exact same thing. I am sure if the CARE owners wanted to work something out with the employees, they could have very well offered an option, and the hospital could have stayed open (and continued to make money).

My heart goes out to the CARE employees. They do not deserve this kind of harsh treatment.

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» wildlife volunteer on 12.24.09 @ 03:03 PM

Interesting, The Truth From….

But whatever the cause(s) of the closing it is very sad, especially for the wildlife. Domestic animals have alternatives, but, for instance, a pelican with a broken wing has nowhere to go if found on a weekend or in the evening. Or a gull. Or a creature badly injured by a car. (Cat and Bird will take in and euthanize during the day.) Euthanasia is sometimes the only release from pain.

CARE was a wonderful place to bring a creature that could not be saved—- and the SB Wildlife Care Network is only for caring for those that can be released. It is not and will not be a sanctuary for unreleasables (although when they first started their fundraising, they said they intended that!) There’s a great need in this populated place for wildlife vets, and a huge need for a sanctuary, and an even greater need for emergency care. May there soon be someplace.

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» John Locke on 12.25.09 @ 08:44 AM

All of you making outraged statements about prices, profitability, and margins should shut up unless you’ve actually seen the books.  Most of the posters here are concerned about the animals, understandably, but few seem to understand that businesses, esp in CA and esp given rents in SB, have very high costs.  Price does not equal revenue does not equal profit.

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» Fred & Lamont Sanford on 12.25.09 @ 12:08 PM

Hey John Locke, perhaps you should consider staying in your forest before coming out to tell others to shut up.

Do you also defend Bernie Madoff, Enron, (maybe even the Mexican Mafia for that matter) simply because they are in business, and have pricing strategies, profits, and books that the public isn’t privy to? 

Those who bought a service have a right to an opinion about it, something that people are still entitled to express here in these United States, by the way. 

Noteworthy to us is that instead of the usual idiotic comment trail, there are actually many people with similar bad experiences willing to tell it here. Seems to us that there may be many others out there with similar reflections.  It’s also noteworthy that while the closure and it’s effects are universally lamented, hardly anyone seems to want to defend the owners themselves in these pages.

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» Sad Sad Sad on 12.26.09 @ 08:58 AM

I have had to use CARE three times. All three times they saved my animals lifes. I payed well over $7000 dollars to them and I payed it in full because I love my animals. If you love your pets like you love the rest of your family, then safe and proper care comes at a prices that you need to be willing to pay. They are a emergency pet hospital who helps people and pets when other practices are closed for the holidays, weekends or nights. I think everyone posting in here about the price and everything else needs to get a life. I know that my animals are a HUGE part of my life and I will do what it takes to keep them alive and well. CARES was amazing in the way that they handled the emergencys and other emergencies that I had seen when I was in there with my animals. The caring and passion that they had for the animals and the owners was amazing. CARES will be missed.

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» catowner on 12.26.09 @ 09:21 PM

I am sad that the only 24 hour animal hospital has closed but neither of my two experiences with CARE were good.  I did not find the staff to be either compasionate or caring. Last November my cat suffered a trama and I rushed him to CARE not knowing if he would ever be okay. I was alone and obviously very upset. After the initial contact with the vet tech I waited almost an hour for the vet to come in to see my cat. Then after spending hours sitting alone in an exam room waiting to find out if my cat would be okay the vet finally came in.  He was very uneasy with my emotions and I could tell he did not want to be there taking to me. I thought that after sitting there for three hours we would be good to go home but that was not the case.  He was just there to tell me what my options were.  When the tech came back to move me out of the exam room and into the lobby I questioned why things were taking so long. I was told that there was an EMERGENCY that needed immediate care….that emergency was a dog that came in while I was already there and out long before my cat was taken care of. I still don’t know what made the dog’s emergency so much more important than my cat’s emergency…that dog walked out on his own…my cat did not. When it was all said and done and I was finally able to take my cat home the kid at the front desk had the nerve to say to me…“you must really love your cat” when I said that I did he said..“well you can prove it to me by paying me $650”.  Compasionate care??  I didn’t see it.  When I followed up with my regular vet I was not surprised to learn that CARE had not sent over the exrays as they said they would. The disc of exrays that CARE had given me that night did not show the injury at all. There were only 2 pictures on the disc but I had been billed for 3 xrays. They also gave pain medication to my cat that my vet had requested not be given to any of his/her patients treated by CARE and that the plastic Elizabethan collar that they put on my cat and charged almost $10 for was not necessary and some what dangerous since it prevented my cat from being able to eat or drink. I had been taking it off so he could eat and drink and my vet recommended that I just leave it off all the time. So while I was glad that CARE was open on a Saturday night when I needed emergency vet care my most recent experience with CARE was far from the loving, caring environment that others seem to have found there.

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» catowner on 12.27.09 @ 02:11 PM

I have to disagree with Fred & Lamont Sanford.

My post was not a complaint about the cost of care for my cat, it was about the absolute lack of compassion through the whole process of checking in, waiting and leaving the hospital. If you advertise that your care is about compassion then make it an important part of your business. Train your staff to be compassionate and caring. Don’t make it okay for the kid at the front desk to tell people that they can prove how much they love their animals by paying their bill. 
I knew going in that the visit was going to cost me more than I’d be able to afford but I took my cat in because I was willing to pay whatever it took to ease his obvious pain.
Thankfully I had my regular vet to show me compassion and guide me through the months of after care. I am beyond grateful that my cat has made a full recovery.
And while I owe most of that to my regular vet I know it wouldn’t have been possible if he hadn’t been given treatment that same night.
So for that I must give credit to CARE but it will be a very long time before I am able to forget the feelings I had while sitting alone for so many hours waiting for someone, anyone to give me a reasuring look or a nice word. It never happened.

My negative comments about CARE are not about the cost but their absoloute lack of compassion for me and my situation.

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» John Locke on 12.27.09 @ 02:56 PM

Sanford and Son, I’m not defending anyone, just pointing out that people complaining about high prices generally know little about what goes into those prices, including, apparently, yourself.  And spouting off on topics about which knows nothing is neither interesting nor helpfulm, though it may make you feel righteous. 

The price paid for any good or service does not go directly into the owners’ pockets.  Rent, staff salaries and benefits (staff of 60 people at CARE, someone said, open 7x24, whether or not there were customers), equipment, supplies, interest on money borrowed to buy the business or support the cash flow, various forms of insurance, CA state fees, SB county and city fees, etc. all come from the price BEFORE the owner gets anything.  In many small businesses, as little as 5 cents of every revenue dollar ends up as profit; that is a slightly higher margin than that enjoyed by grocery stores and other retail establishments and on a much lower revenue stream. For those who are math challenged, that means with revenue of $1 million (rather a lot for a small business in SB) there is $50,000 left to pay ALL the owners. I own a business and am rather familiar with all this.  Are you?  Not everyone is a Madoff.  Madoff was an admitted thief and simply took his customers’ money without rendering any service, so your comment is uninformed, irrevelant and inappropriate.

Having said that, I, as well as some very close pet-owning friends, DO have personal experience with CARE, going back to its beginning.  It was very good in its early days with Dr. Wright and very poor in its more recent days.  If you are willing to pay “fair”  (care to define that for me?  does fair include a profit for the owner?) prices for good service and if the service doesn’t measure up (as was my experience with CARE in the recent past), then the business should close.  So why all the caterwauling>

I’d bet that there is much more to this story than has been reported, some of it likely too politically incorrect for open discussion in pc SB.

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» I CAREd for your pet on 12.27.09 @ 08:25 PM

[Noozhawk’s note: Comment removed by moderator.]

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» Tina Jaspan-Haimovitz on 12.28.09 @ 09:08 AM

I am computer challenged, and at times just write.  Wasn’t intending to shout at anyone.  I do enough of it at home. Trust me, my husband and kid can verify this. Sorry if I offended anyone.

Whatever happened or didn’t happen at the meeting, and whomever is to blame or not to blame seems silly at this point.  Pointing the finger at another, after the fact never really helps. 

Lets put our heads together and figure out how all of us can bring back a much needed 24 hour animal care hospital. It is not the responsibility of the mega wealthy.  Everyone who has adopted a four legged, loved, family memeber is responsible to brain storm here. We are a city of smart, inventive people. There is an opportunity here, we just have to figure it out.

Perhaps someone, maybe I will, should discuss with some vets in town how we can make this work.  My good friends who own Camp Canine, John and Mary Sorosky, who own a wonderful doggy day care, grooming, boarding, and training center were also disappointed CARE closed.  Everyone who owns animals, or works with them for a living, needs accessible 24 hour care. 

So, lets stop blaming this one or that one. It is counterproductive and doesn’t help.  It is a business, like anything else, it is there to make money.  I would rather have my vet make a good living than pay it to anyone else. My animnals give me so much joy!!!

Any suggestions or investors interested here, email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).  I am willing to help out and put something together with others if possible.

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» Fred & Lamont Sanford on 12.29.09 @ 01:08 AM

Our initial commentary was entirely appropriate, in our humble opinion. John Locke told others to “shut up” because they hadn’t seen the books, so we simply asked about some other examples that many people would be familiar with.  (John, we’ll accept that your answer is “NO”.) 

It may seem quaint, but where we come from financial pressures are a business owners problem and no excuse for delivering poor service and leaving bad impressions.  Customers generally don’t need or want to see your financials - they simply want you to deliver needed products and services.  Crocodile tears about how difficult it is to be a business owner doesn’t elicit much sympathy anywhere.  Where we come from, owning a business is a privilege and a responsibility to the community. Many times there is also an element of “competition” to contend with.  Incidentally, it’s also a financial risk to be in business!

(FYI, we ran our business successfully for many years before retiring here. We respect the right of a business owner to set prices and to refuse service to anyone, and we don’t think that the “rich” have any obligation to give money away.) 

John, if you (or they) are really working so hard for such small returns, what’s the point of being in business?  Why not just close the doors and get a government job? 

Your financial example wasn’t very well thought out.  Let’s see: 3 college educated, state licensed professionals conducting a 24/7/365 business with 50 employees… all for the opportunity to split 50K at the end of the year - 17K each!

The reality is that if the business was appraised at over $1MM then it would probably be safe to assume that pretax earnings were between $250K and $500K.  These types of business sell for 2x to 4x pre-tax earnings. 

In fact, based on the values stated in the article (investment by Wright at about $300K, judgment over $1MM “to buy him out of his one-third share of the partnership”) the total value of the business could have been as high as $2MM or more.  Of course we can’t be certain as there is no discussion of punitive or other damages, legal fees being awarded, or other financial information related to the judgment.

(Furthermore, since not all the partners were licensed to provide the service sold, this was a business partnership, not a typical professional partnership.  The Vets in the partnership were probably paid going rates for the professional services they personally rendered as an expense of the business before the profits to be divided by the partners were calculated.)

Our second comment was in response to Sad Sad Sad, who seems to be saying that if you question or are unable to the price you are directed to pay, or if you have an issue to voice about the services or how they were provided, somehow you don’t “love your animals” or have the right to state your feelings.  Well, in our humble opinions, that’s just a bunch of hooey.  We sincerely thank Noozhawk for making the space available and for encouraging public discussion of community matters such as this. 

It is noteworthy that many people stated unhappy experiences with this particular business when given the opportunity, and that defense of the 2 partners who tried to throw the third out is virtually non-existent in these pages. 
 
Read all the comments, there’s a thread that runs through many personal experiences reflected here.  We hope that the service will be replaced soon, there seems to be much need.  And the new operator will have the benefit of these comments from previous users of the CARE facility to take to heart. 

God Bless You All.
Peace On Earth and to All Mankind.

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» ALF on 12.29.09 @ 08:54 AM

Lets see, A Turtle from Red Rock, a few Pigeons, a dove, a couple stray hurt cats, and I know I’m forgetting a couple animals. But Ive taken in those injured animals to CARE after hours and always with a warm caring smile, they’ve received them with open arms. I feel a grassroots campaign coming on to save this place…

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» Sanford & Son on 12.29.09 @ 11:29 AM

If you think that business grossed simply a million dollars a year and employed 50 people, and was clearly valued at more than 1 million dollars by the court, youre sorely mistaken.

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» LBB on 12.29.09 @ 01:07 PM

After rereading the story a few times, it seems to me that it is highly unfair of two partners to “terminate” the employment of the third partner because the article needed to obtain board certification was not published. Especially after that partner put up his practice, cash, equipment and home to help THEM start the practice. My husband is a local physician and business owner. This would never happen. As a courtesy to a partner more time would be granted and this would be worked out in some professional way.

To those who are debating business vs compassion ( or something), of course this is a business, how else could they continue to operate. That doesn’t mean they don’t care deeply about the animals and owners that come there.

We also used the services of CARE. Our dog was bit by a rettlesnake and eventually died. Of course it was expensive but without CARE we would not have had any chance of saving out dog or been able to give her something for her pain.

I hope the employees can find work soon. My thoughts are with you all.

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» Sanford & Son on 12.29.09 @ 02:42 PM

Hey John Locke, we never said anything about a 25 to 50% profit margin so please re read our posts. (We’d take that business too!)

We said: “The reality is that if the business was appraised at over $1MM then it would probably be safe to assume that pretax earnings were between $250K and $500K.  These types of business sell for 2x to 4x pre-tax earnings.” 

CLEARLY, WE WERE REFERRING TO CALCULATION OF THE SALE PRICE BASED ON PRE TAX EARNINGS.  Your most recent financial analysis bears ours out.  If sales are around $5 million, 5% net profit margin is 250K. Duh!

It’s also safe to assume that the working chief of a professional practice with that kind of gross income was herself receiving substantial compensation and benefits that were paid as part of the cost of the operation before partnership profits were calculated.  Firing Dr Wright may have even allowed Dr Purvis to take more out of the business this way - until the lawsuit ruined the picnic. 

We simply don’t think that the judge would award Dr. Wright over A MILLION DOLLARS (which represents around $700,000 premium above the capital (316K) that he contributed) as equity for 1/3 of the partnership unless it was fairly profitable.  We used the multiple ON EARNINGS TO CALCULATE BUSINESS VALUE/POTENTIAL SALE PRICE as an example to demonstrate the point. (According to the article each put up 30K and Wright put 186K practice value, plus 100K in equipment and we assume also his own 30K on formation, so we figured 30K Purvis, 30K Lane and 316K Wright as initial capital - slightly different than your calculation on that issue.)

We’re also pretty sure that it wasn’t lack of profit margin or profits that drove the two partners into this bankruptcy.  It’s simply far easier to go BK and move on than work to pay off the judgment, and it’s not an unusual move given the circumstances.  Attorney’s fees, the residual costs of being involved in litigation, and taxes could be factors as well.

Hopefully you understand us now.  Cheerio!

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» Sanford & Son on 12.29.09 @ 05:39 PM

Ok John, you’re right.  Whatever!

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» tina jaspan-haimovitz on 12.29.09 @ 06:52 PM

Look, it is extremely difficult to become a vet these days. As far as I know there are 2 Vet School in this country, period!! Tufts and UC Davis. It is 100 times more difficult to become

a Vet than it is a physician or attorney.  Not to mention the price to attend vet school. Very, very few who want to become vets actually do. Our son wants to become one, and he knows the hard road ahead!!!

I have had dogs and horses for my entire 45 years.  One of my beloved dogs came down with bladder cancer, and my Vet at Whites referred me to a oncologist in Los Angeles. The vet hospital down there was extremely busy, and there was no warm and fuzzy feeling.  It was at least 3 stories high, with intercoms going off, and people shuffling around in a hurry. At no time did anyone come out to explain how things were going, or to hold my hand. The surgery was 4,600 along with her chemo treatments. After removing part of her bladder, she came home incontinent and was intolerant of the meds. Within 6 months she died. We did what we had to at the time. Including driving her to LA, waiting for days for her to recover, and gladly paying a large bill.

The hospital and staff were loud, inpersonel, and charged a fortune. Every specialist you could need worked at that facility. My point is this: hospitals, vets, technicians, pheblemogotists etc are there to do a job. Not hold your hand, and tell you everything is going to be alright.Many times its not… Their job is to diagnose, treat, and hopefully cure your loved animal.Bring a friend or family if you need assurance. They all charge what they charge. All vets are expensive.  End of story!! If you went to school for up to 10 years to be a eye specialists, oncologist, orthopaedic surgeon etc.. you can charge what you want to also.Vet orthopaedics make more for a total hip than do orthopaedic surgeons for people now. Retina specialists charge more in vet medicine than do physicians who work on humans. Its how it works…

It is the price we pay for adopting animals into our home or stable. Those who cannot afford needed vet care, or resent the cost should NOT have animals.

We are not mega wealthy people, just live a nice life here in SB. We choose to have animals of various kinds. They are all expensive. Forget the vet, what about the grooming, dental, shoeing, and floating horses teeth. Oh, yes and dogs do need their teeth done regularly. Its part of what you signed in for when you accepted that animal into your life. 

Thanks for the McDonald AnimalHospital on Milpas for opening up his doors after hours so those of us in need will have a place to call in the middle of the night. We have your number and will use you if needed!!

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» John Locke on 12.29.09 @ 08:30 PM

There are also vet schools at Texas A&M, Cornell, and Ohio State.  My understanding is that there are nearly 50 vet schools (1 per state) in the US.  BUT it IS harder to become a vet than an M.D., generally pays less, and the suicide rate is considerably higher.  Go figure…

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» John Locke on 12.29.09 @ 09:24 PM

Actually, Sanford and Son, your last post triggered another thought. Perhaps the reason the female partners/judgement losers declared bankruptcy so abruptly was to drive the valuation of the business down to near zero from the judge’s $4 million number.  Then they could go back to court and plead that the award was unjustified based on the value of the (now bankrupt) business. (Reminds me of the guy who killed his parents and then asked the court for mercy based on the fact that he’s now an orphan.)  Hopefully even a California judge would see through that one.

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» Someone who knows on 12.30.09 @ 12:43 PM

John Locke’s speculation about it coming down to “petty spite” is right on the mark.  The two married partners would rather financially “blow up” the business, which was very profitable prior to Dr. Wright’s involuntary termination, than allow him to run it without them, even though they made a huge business miscalculation by terminating him. This was borne out by a legal judgement against them, affirming that they acted outside the terms of their agreement with Wright.  It was also proved by their repeated impulsive, bad decision-making. They had seven months to work something out, and could have, but refused to do so.

Petty spite - 60 people laid off right before Christmas - CARE in bankrupcy- no local ER coverage for pets - very classy!  Purvis said CARE was “like family”.  Who treats family like that?

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» The Sanfords on 12.30.09 @ 06:50 PM

Hey John, we agree.  Problem solved, that’s great news!

Now about that 25% to 50% profit margin…

LOL

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» Former CARE employee on 12.31.09 @ 01:26 AM

[Noozhawk’s note: Comment removed by moderator.]

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» Excuse Me on 12.31.09 @ 01:56 PM

But just when did Wright finish his training and WHY didn’t he get his certification?  Just how many years does one need to do this.  CARE was opened at least 6 years ago.  Seems to me that if you want to work at a specialty hospital you should meet the requirements.  I agree with the two other owners and would have wanted him to be certified.  Isn’t that what started this entire mess?

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» "Former CARE employee" on 12.31.09 SADLY misinform on 01.02.10 @ 12:44 PM

» Former CARE employee wrote on 12.31.09 @ 01:26 AM«

You are wrong in so MANY ways that it’s almost absurd.

»  She never actually saw patients.  That is right folks, area veterinarians rarely if ever sent cases to her.«

She is the owner trying to manage a small to mid range business, deal with a lawsuit, and when possible work as a vet.  She “never” saw patients ... what do you know about libel and/or sign your name if you’re going to make such preposterous comments!

» The (Non)Payment agreements:  It was pretty much standard practice for Deanna Purvis to let total dead beats sign off on services that cost thousands, often times tens of thousands of dollars and then have them sign a ‘payment agreement’.«

Again, you know not what you speak, as someone who’s reviewed the CARE books, the A/R were down dramatically in the last several years.  I guess Purvis is supposed to be all things to all people—she’s the one who came here to start this hospital that our community is up in arms to have lost.  Seems that we’re tarring and feathering the WRONG person.

» The CT Machine:  Ok, a CT Scanner new go for around $2,000,000 dollars.  Decertified units (used) can be picked up for $350,000 or so.«

So you know something of CT machines.  However, you seem to be in your own fantasy about the presence of a CT machine at CARE.  There IS and HAS NOT been ANY CT machine in any CARE related buildings.  It was a good plan until the lawsuit prevented CARE from expanding in some of the ways that the community and local vets had requested. 

»The second building:  God knows what she paid for a second building that was going to be an extension of CARE. «

This was always the plan to grow CARE as many of us knew.  Timing off, probably - an as owner she does she get credit for this one.  Yes. If the economy hadn’t tanked and she hadn’t lost the lawsuit, acquiring that building would have been a coup.

» The strays:  Deanna Purvis was famous for keeping severely injured, incredibly sick animals (that would normally be euthanised) around the hospital for often times months on end.« 

Funny, feedback from many staff was how grateful they were that CARE wasn’t a “kill center” – and with one of the staff stepping up and managing strays in the last year – this too was addressed in a reasonable manner.

» The whole Tea Fire thing probably cost CARE on the order of $50,000 for which we did not see one bloody dime.  And gave us multiple dead beats who wanted all kinds of services done for free.« 

Once again, you are flat out WRONG.  The community dontated money to a local non profit who in turn paid for the individuals whose animals were burned in the Tea Fire.  Those individuals bore no cost—that is correct, but calling them “dead beats” when thier homes were burned and animals injured ... now you’re being cruel.  However, CARE was paid, in full, for each of the animals who were burned … and it was done with community support.  And it was about $30,000 not $50,000.

»Finally two months before the clinic was bankrupt, she was seen walking around with one of those how to books for dummies.« 

Now you just seem mean and misinformed.  AND, if you think running a business of this size, in this economy, in this town is so easy … then by all means … STEP UP, throw your NAME in the hat and GO FOR IT!

» Care died from inept management, and yes the Santa Barbara entitlement belief. «

This tirade from an ungrateful, misinformed ”Former CARE employee” isn’t helping matters at all.  Spreading false rumors and knowing enough to be dangerous – is just that.

And by the way, as of December 31, CARE has not filed bankruptcy—you can check this fact as well.

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» Where is Dr. Greek? on 01.18.10 @ 12:13 PM

If I could just find out where Dr. Greek, Dr. Stump and Dr. Wells went, then I would have no use for CARE. The techs were wonderful too, but these three doctors are incredible in their specialties and gave the hospital credibility.

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