Dear clients,

We find ourselves in extraordinary circumstances, and the situation is changing rapidly. Mira Mar Veterinary Hospital prioritises the wellbeing of our patients, clients, and staff. With this in mind, we ask that you consider the health of our staff and other clients in your visits to us. Without healthy hospital staff, we will be unable to continue caring for our patients, and unlike other industries, we are unable to work from home.

If you are unwell or experiencing any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, are awaiting test results, or if you have recently come back from travel, please advise us of this and stay home. We will talk to you over the phone to discuss what is going on with your pet and assess the urgency of their situation. If we think your pet needs to be seen, please ask a family member or friend to bring your pet in for you.  If you have made an appointment and wish to cancel it, please call and let us know in a timely manner.

If you are well and come in to see us, please maintain a 1.5-metre distance between yourself and other humans. Have your dog on a short lead and your cat in a carrier. Please don’t approach other clients or their pets, and try to only have one person come in with each pet to avoid crowding the waiting room.

If you have an illness that makes you more vulnerable, are immuno-compromised or are elderly, and wish to minimise your time in the waiting area:

• Please let us know when phoning to make an appointment. When you arrive in the car park, phone to let us know you are outside, wait in your car, and a staff member will inform you when the consulting room is ready. Our examination tables are cleaned and disinfected between consultations, and our vets wash their hands between patients routinely, as per our normal policy.
• For food and medication orders, payment can be made over the phone with a credit card to avoid touching the EFTPOS keypad or handling cash. As above, when you arrive to collect your pet’s food or medication, please phone us from the car park and a staff member will bring your order out to your car.

All of these measures will take extra time in person and on the phone, so we sincerely appreciate your understanding. All of us should be mindful of the risk we pose to others, not just the risk that others may pose to us. We will weather this public health crisis with patience, good sense, and kindness.

For additional information on the current COVID-19 guidelines for people and veterinary hospitals, here are the following links:

• Australian Government Department of Health: https://www.health.gov.au/
• Australian Veterinary Association Coronavirus Updates: https://www.ava.com.au/coronavirus/