100 Little Things
Every day we do at least 100 things to provide our clients and community with the best possible veterinary experience.
What makes us different?
1. Family: We know your pets are a part of your family. We want you to feel like you’re a part of ours.
- Local shelter pets: From day one, we’ll provide thousands of dollars of free medical care each year to pets in Austin so that they’ll be ready for adoption.
- Neighborhood schools: We will also attend school science days and career fairs to encourage the next generation of veterinarians.
- We Love Historic Buildings: The Firehouse Building has been around for nearly one hundred years and we want to help maintain usage of this beautiful Austin architecture.
- Specialty Referrals: We are within 20-minutes of three partners. We have great choices to get your pet the best specialized care if needed.
- Sliding Doors: We designed exam rooms with sliding doors so we’ll never run over your pet (or its tail) when entering the room.
- Tags: We engrave personalized Firehouse pet tags for our patients – as many as you want – forever! PS–we have cat sizes and dog sizes.
- Grassy Space: Our hospital has nearby grassy space for day-boarded pets to enjoy.
- Windows: We designed a huge viewing wall into our treatment area so you can see your pet at all times.
- 24-Hour Phone Service: We provide 24-hour care by phone, so you know that we’ll always be there when you need us most.
- The “Why”: Our culture is based on understanding why we are here and what we hope to achieve (building trusting relationships with clients, exceeding expectations, showing compassion, collaborating, fostering education)
- Alternatives: We have partners in many alternative therapies to offer diverse treatment options including acupuncture work and more.
- Proactive Measures: We like to plan ahead for fearful, anxious, and stressed pets. If you or your pet stress about visiting the vet, call us before your visit so we can plan a quick move through the lobby, have favorite treats ready, or create a pre-visit plan with medications or supplements for the appointment.
- Smiling Faces:We have amazing, talented, happy team members who love taking care of you.
15. Coffee: Freshly brewed coffee from our local partner Dazbog will be served fresh daily.
- Tours: We love to show off our hospital to clients and guests, at any time!
- Comfy Lobby: For the short time you are in it, we want you and your pet to be comfortable.
- We Smell Good! we work hard to not “smell like a vet clinic” because we are anti-stink.
- Great Art: We partner with local pet artists to feature beautiful artwork on our walls. Studies show that viewing art reduces stress and increases joy.
- Snacks! Nothing makes kids (and adults) happier than grabbing a snack and a drink in our lobby.
- Kid Stuff: Toys, Firehouse coloring books, cartoons, and more to keep them occupied while we chat.
- Local Nonprofits: We provide thousands of dollars of free medical care to local shelter pets each year (over $16,000 to date)!
- Wine! We say “thank you” for giving us a try by giving you a bottle of red or white wine.
- Follow-Ups: We want to make sure everything is going well, so we’ll reach out to you often.
- Open Doors: There are no boundaries in our facilities. We want to partner with you in patient care. Ask us questions and join us in the treatment area.
- Getting on the Floor: Most of our patients are more comfortable there and so are we.
- Doctor Time: Our doctors take time to sit and chat because it’s the core of how we practice.
- Comfort Room: We have special rooms for deep discussions or to say goodbye to a beloved pet. A separate exit to the outside gives our clients privacy for tough moments.
- X-rays: We pinpoint issues with a state-of-the-art digital system providing quick, high-quality images.
- Surgery Suite: We perform procedures in a dedicated suite full of the best medical devices available.
- Referral Program: When you trust us enough to send us a new client, you both benefit!
- Behavior Training: We work closely with Austin’s go-to “dog whisperers” on all behavioral issues.
- Stress-Free Experience: We constantly strive to provide low-stress experiences for our patients and clients. We use Fear Free and Cat Friendly Practice techniques.
- Cremation Services: We work with hand-picked cremation service companies because they treat our patients like their own pets.
35. We Do the Work: We will fill out and submit paperwork for rebates, rewards, insurance – it’s our job!
- Wi-Fi and TV: Waiting is a pain and we minimize it… but if it happens, we have free Wi-Fi, TV, pet-focused coffee table books, and local magazines.
- Scheduling: We care about flow and our schedule. Emergencies happen but we typically run on time.
- Dental X-rays: Our digital system is crucial in providing the best care for your pet’s teeth.
- Technician Team: Our vet techs are the best in the business, continually developing their skills. Plus, they bring their kind and positive attitudes to work each day.
- Communication Training: We help team members become better communicators through ongoing education because it directly affects patient care.
- Client Service Coordinators: Our talented front desk coordinators are here to facilitate every step of the process.
- Efficient Design: We spend months with our architects designing each hospital to maximize functionality.
- Preventive Care: Everything we do is to ensure our patients live long, happy, and healthy lives.
- Puppies & Kittens: We provide discounted packages for the crucial early days, including spays and neuters.
45. Client Rewards Program: Your loyalty means a lot, and our program rewards you with special perks.
- Drop-Offs: We know you’re busy, so we welcome early appointment drop-offs and late pick-ups.
- No Hiding: Our patients are always close to our team so we can keep a watchful eye on them.
- Digital Records: Our electronic medical record system is secure, accurate, and reliable.
- Boarding, Grooming, Training, and Product Partners: We research and build relationships with Austin service providers and vendors so you can rely on our recommendations.
- Lab: Our on-site and reference laboratories provide comprehensive diagnostics for our patients.
- Kennels: Our accommodations are clean, spacious, and comfortable for our patients.
- Telemedicine: Our medical team has 24-hour access to a specialist network for case consultation.
- Staying Connected: We post stories on social media to educate and amuse. Find us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
- Collaboration: A core value here — our team works together to solve clinical challenges.
- Positive Mindset: We foster positive communication to help everyone stay productive and lower stress.
- Giving: For every $250 you spend, you can donate $5 to a community group ($1100 in impact so far!)
- Cat-Friendly: We provide separate exam rooms, kennels, and treatment areas for our feline friends. These areas even feature cat art and Feliway (pheromones) to decrease stress.
58. Vet For A Day: We donate in-hospital experiences to a local school and community group fundraisers. This helps nonprofits raise funds and it helps encourage the next generation of veterinarians!
- Internships: We mentor high school, college, and vet school interns to help build careers. Ask us about this program if your student is a budding veterinarian.
- Microchipping: We register every patient we microchip to make sure our patients are trackable if lost.
- Continuing Education: As a team, we are always learning and training to stay on the cutting edge of medicine.
- Info To Go: We send every client home with the complete record from their visit to ensure transparency and continuity of care.
63. Staff Development We help our team members reach their career goals by providing individualized plans to foster their growth. We know happy team members make better caregivers.
- Firehouse in The News: Dr Spencer is passionate about educating the public about pet health. Media that includes her advice will be featured on our site.
- Post Adoption Care: We help promote care for shelter pets after adoption by participating in Texas Veterinary Medical Association’s Connect for Care.
- Community: From day one we’ve given back to our community. We engage with and support local community groups who work with kids and animals.
- Brodie the Big Dog and Broc the Big Cat: Starting in 2020, our 12’ tall blow-up mascots will attend our events and occasionally visit the hospital.
- Advisors: Our doctors are medical advisors to pet-related businesses and groups in Austin and beyond.
- Awesome Doctors: We invite only the brightest, most caring, and experienced doctors to join our team.
- Local Magazines: We know you’re into Austin news. So our lobby is stocked with our town’s latest glossies.
71. Comprehensive Care: We provide complete pet care in our hospitals, and we coordinate care with specialists when necessary.
- Education: We want you to understand what is happening; the more you know, the better we do our job.
- Passion: We are driven by a shared love of providing great care to pets and their people.
- Demonstrations: We take the time to show you how to care for your pet at home, whether you’re using a new medication, giving injections, or learning about oral care, nail-trims and blood sugar. No problem! We’ll teach you!
- Client Relationships: We work hard to earn your trust, as we feel lucky to be able to collaborate with you and provide care to your pet.
- Patient Relationships: Working to provide health and happiness to our patients is deeply rewarding!
- Dental Exams: We are tooth fanatics, so come in any time for a free dental exam.
- Online Meds: Our online pharmacy is an easy, convenient, and economical way to buy pet meds!
- Returns: If a diet we provide doesn’t work out, we will take it back for a full refund and find another solution.
- Vaccines: We respect the power of vaccination, and we use as few as possible, tailored to each patient.
- Medical Products: We investigate and select the best medical products available for our patients.
- We Encourage Questions: Call us any time or bring your list to your pet’s exam.
- Behavior: We’ll ask about it at every appointment to assess your pet’s emotions.
- Thanks: We say thanks in many ways, often in the form of a written note; we appreciate you!
- No Drama: We have a no-drama policy to create a workplace where we can actually get stuff done.
- Work / Life: Although hard to balance, we create systems to help our teams achieve it.
- Memorial Program: We honor each of our patients’ lives by making a financial contribution to help Austin animals in need.
- Go Local: As a Austin-founded company, we try at every opportunity to support other local businesses through patronage or referral.
89. The Human-Animal Bond: We value the role your pets play in your family; we treat them as if they were our own.
- Nutrition: Great nutrition creates lifelong health and happiness; we offer the best expertise for our patients.
- Coloring Wall: Yes, this allows our fantastic team to showcase their artistic talent, but our “art wall” will also offer your children an outlet for theirs!
- 30-Minute Slots: We buck the industry trend and schedule plenty of time for our appointments.
- Saturdays: We are open for weekend appointments because we know you’re busy during the workweek.
- Surgery:Scheduled or emergency, we provide most procedures right here, right now.
- Easy Appointments: Easily schedule an appointment on our website or even through Google!
- Firehouse Swag: T-shirts and hats for humans; leashes, tennis balls, and water bowls for our furry friends!
- Hiding Spots For Cats: We have nesting boxes in each room, as well as furniture in the lobby designed to help your kitty feel more secure.
- Feedback: Good or bad, we love hearing about your experience – it helps us be even better.
- Client Appreciation Events: We host annual client parties to say thank you for being a part of our family, including Santa Paws Photos and anniversary celebrations.
- Parking Spots: We make it easy for you to drop off your pet with spots right out front.
