Effective May 16th, 2022
(Current policies remain in effect until May 16th)
The Time Has Come!
Everyone here at Centre Street Animal Hospital has appreciated your patience and adaptability as we have all navigated the ups and downs of the Covid-19 pandemic. The difficult but necessary procedures we put in place have achieved their goal of avoiding staff outbreaks and the need for any extended closure of the hospital. We are excited to finally be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and are thrilled to be starting our reopening process:
We will be resuming in-person appointments!
We are thrilled to announce that, starting on May 16th, we will be implementing a hybrid approach to in person appointments. Following the guidance of multiple regulatory organizations, this will be a step-by-step process as we balance the goal of continued health and safety of our staff and clientele with the excitement of getting to see you all and interact in person! We will continue with safety protocols geared to reducing crowding in small spaces, and a tiered re-opening, to allow us to continue to monitor Covid cases, new strains and severity of disease.
Re-opening Plan Tier 1:
- Mask policy
- All clients who book an in-person appointment will need to wear a mask at all times while inside the clinic. We will be happy to provide masks should the client not have one with them. There will be NO exceptions. Our team members will also continue to wear masks in the clinic at all times.
- Appointment Types
- During this first phase of re-opening, 33% of appointments have been allocated for in-person visits. This will help to ensure a smooth transition back to normal operations and allow for proper management of capacity limits.
- Drop-off appointments will continue to be available for those who prefer, and also once all in-person appointment spots are filled for the day. When calling to book an appointment you will be given a choice of appointment type preference and availability; you will then receive an email within 24 hours (excluding weekends) to confirm this choice and review all relevant instructions.
- Telemedicine (either telephone calls or video consults via Zoom) will continue to be available. Certain cases may still require further tests and/or treatments which will require an in-house visit; these will be arranged as needed based on the video consult.
- An in-person appointment may be switched to become a drop-off appointment if preferred at any time, however once a drop-off appointment is scheduled it cannot be switched to an in-person appointment. In such cases, a new appointment can be booked in the next available in-person appointment slot.
- Capacity Limits
- Given the confined space of our exam rooms, there will be a maximum of 2 people allowed per exam room at any given time (generally the veterinarian and/or technician and the pet owner). We will also limit 2 clients in the reception waiting area at any given time.
- ONE adult over 16 years old per pet will be admitted for a scheduled appointment. At this time unfortunately no younger children will be allowed to enter.
- Euthanasia appointments will be the only exception in which 2 adults will be allowed.
- Other notes
- Food and medication pick-up or any interaction where pet examinations are not needed (i.e. nail trims, blood work, split vaccine visits) will continue to be done via curbside service.
- Pre-exam intake forms will continue to be used and will need to be submitted prior to your pet’s exam.
- The main clinic entry door will remain locked to ensure regulated entry and exit of clients and to facilitate traffic and flow.
Stay tuned for the dates and details of tier 2 in the upcoming weeks!
In Person Appointments – What to Expect:
- When arriving for your pet’s appointment, please call us at (905) 771-9855 to let us know you are here. You will be advised at that time about bringing your pet(s) to the front entrance.
- We will meet you at the door to begin the appointment process; please ensure cats are in carriers and dogs are on proper leashes.
- A staff member will invite you inside and assist in getting an updated weight for your pet and then will transfer him/her to the exam room for an examination by the Dr and RVT. You will be asked to have a seat in our waiting area for approximately 10-15 minutes during this process (we will do our best to update you if we are expecting the wait to be longer due to unforeseen delays).
- Once your pet’s exam and evaluation is complete you will be welcomed into the exam room to join your pet. Please disinfect your hands with the hand sanitizer provided. We ask that you remain in the exam room throughout the visit unless directed otherwise.
- The veterinarian (or RVT in certain cases) will review the exam findings with you and discuss the diagnostic plan and/or treatments as needed. Once the next steps are determined your pet may be taken to the treatment area to have these treatments/diagnostics administered while you remain in the exam room or as otherwise directed (i.e. if extended time is required to perform procedures such as x-rays it may be offered that you return home if you live nearby and return when the procedures are completed. Pending space, you may also be able to wait in the reception area).
- Any medications to be dispensed will be prepared and reviewed/demonstrated for you in the exam room with an appropriate staff member.
- Once everything is prepared, your pet is ready for discharge and the account finalized, the receptionist will alert you and will use appropriate judgment based on traffic and safe distancing whether to cash you out while seated in the exam room or waiting area or ask you to approach the front desk. We also have a wireless machine and can process credit and debit cards from the comfort of your car.
- Once cashed out and all items bagged and ready to go, please exit the practice through the side door (which will remain unlocked).
Drop-off (Curbside) Appointments – What to Expect:
- When arriving for your pet’s appointment, please call us at (905) 771-9855 to let us know you are here. You will be advised at that time about bringing your pet(s) to the front entrance.
- A staff member will meet you at the door and collect your pet to bring them inside for their visit. Please ensure all cats are in carriers and dogs are on proper leashes
- We will perform the examination and the doctor will call you with an update to provide all pertinent information about the visit and discuss any treatments as needed.
- Any treatments/diagnostics will be performed and we will call you when your pet is ready to be discharged. We will then bring your pet back to you outside the door.
- Payment can be processed over the phone using a credit card or outside the hospital with our wireless machine.
A Few Extra Notes:
We understand that while Ontario has been abruptly removing mandates as the number of deaths and hospitalizations decreased, healthcare facilities have a delicate balancing act to navigate. As a veterinary hospital we work in very close contact with each other while handling pets, putting our team at greater risk of transferring illnesses to one another. We are overjoyed to be welcoming you back inside our doors and will do everything we can to ensure that we can continue this re-opening process in a reasonable and methodical manner. At the same time, we must strive to avoid a rapid spread of illness within the practice and the subsequent need to restrict the number of patients we can see.
We will be continually monitoring all data available via public health statistics, regulatory organizations, and the success of tier 1, to amend the above measures as necessary. We are optimistic that this approach will lead to a full and safe reopening.
Whether you agree/ disagree with our policies and requirements during our hybrid opening, we ask that you respect these safety measures. We have a zero-tolerance policy for aggressive behaviour and will not tolerate verbal abuse or outbursts expressing personal opinion or disagreement. Our goal is to provide safe entry and medical care for our patients, a safe environment for our clients and staff, and reduced risk of staff shortages or potential hospital closures. Thank you in advance for your compliance.
We are excited to see you all and look forward to having you back!
Sincerely,
The Centre Street Animal Hospital Team
Food and Medication Curbside Pickup & Delivery
- If you would like to purchase food, treats or other retail items, please call ahead to submit your request
- A number of diets are still experiencing stock and/or production issues so ordering ahead is advised. We can discuss other options with you if your pet’s food is unavailable.
- Upon your arrival, we will bring all items outside to you. Just give us a call at 905-771-9855 when you arrive.
- Delivery is available as well, call us for more details.
Radius and Delivery Charges:
Within Dufferin/Highway7/Yonge/Steeles = $6.00 per delivery
Within Keele/Rutherford/Bayview/Finch = $9.00 per delivery
Thank you for your patience and support.
