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Banfield Pet Hospital

Updated 2026-07-05 · 1,188 reviewed · 179 listed · Scored from 458 Google reviews · How we rank ›

3.8(458) 64 composite score See reviews on Google ✓ Verified
General Veterinary CareEmergency & Urgent CareVeterinary SurgeryExotic & Avian CareVeterinary DentistryLarge Animal & EquineHolistic & Alternative Medicine
Banfield Pet Hospital
Services
General Veterinary Care, Emergency & Urgent Care, Veterinary Surgery
Reviews
458

What recent reviews say

Regular clients praise the vets and techs as genuinely compassionate and thorough, especially Dr. Barnhart, and note flexible scheduling for urgent needs. Groomer Taryn earns particular praise for her gentle handling. Yet the business suffers from a reputation for long waits, frequent appointment delays, and staff turnover that leaves people seeing a different vet each visit. Several reviewers report costly misdiagnoses, including one case where Banfield missed masses on X-rays that led to a dog's death a week later. Wellness plans attract customers with low introductory costs but critics say they obscure full-price charges and fund unnecessary upsells; one person was offered only an 80-dollar refund after a $300 fee, contingent on signing away her right to leave a review.

The core tension is stark: skilled individual clinicians clash with a corporate structure that reviewers see as profit-driven, opaque about plan terms, and dismissive of complaints. A 3.8-star rating from 458 reviews masks a 56/23 five-to-one-star split, suggesting Banfield creates intensely loyal and intensely burned customers.

Praised for
  • knowledgeable and compassionate vets
  • gentle grooming care
  • flexible sick-day appointments
  • staff feel genuinely invested
Watch-outs
  • long wait times and scheduling headaches
  • diagnostic misses (missed masses on X-ray)
  • expensive upsells and misleading wellness plan terms
  • inconsistent vet quality, different doctor each visit
  • rude or unhelpful front desk staff
compassionate-staffgentle-with-animalsknowledgeable-vetslong-wait-timesexpensiveoverpricedpunctualpoor-communicationcaring-bedside-mannerhelpful-front-deskthorough-examspushy-upselling
Best for: Established clients with a preferred vet and mild care needs; not ideal for new patients or those needing quick turnaround.
Think twice if: Scheduling waits often run an hour late; wellness plans can hide full costs; reviewers report diagnostic misses and pressure to buy imaging; ask about your specific vet before committing long-term.

Strengths

  • Dr. Barnhart and other vets earn strong personal loyalty
  • Grooming services with experienced staff like Taryn
  • Will fit in sick-day visits for established clients

Worth knowing

  • Dr. Barnhart noted for thoroughness and compassion
  • Taryn (grooming staff) praised for gentle handling
  • Wellness plans sold as introductory deals but criticized for obscuring full-price charges
  • One reviewer reported missed diagnosis of masses on X-ray that required emergency vet follow-up
  • One reviewer reported being offered $80 refund (of $300 fee) conditional on signing away review rights

What reviews say by service

General Veterinary Care
Mixed: vets like Dr. Barnhart earn strong praise; wellness exams and diagnostics criticized for missing serious issues
Veterinary Surgery
Spaying/neutering available but priced significantly higher than competitors under wellness plans

How it compares

  • Rated 3.8 against a 4.6 average across the 167 general veterinary care businesses listed here.
  • Has more Google reviews than 69% of the businesses in this directory.

How we scored this

Scoring Method
Star rating 23
Review volume 100
Review recency 100
Review sentiment 45
Profile completeness 100
Verification 30

Rating breakdown

5
256
4
65
3
33
2
19
1
85

Common questions

How long is a typical wait for an appointment?
Reviewers report waits of an hour or more are routine; new clients have been offered only drop-off appointments. One new client was an hour behind on her appointment time.
What is the wellness plan and is it a good deal?
Banfield offers wellness plans as introductory low-cost entry points. Critics say the plans obscure full-price charges for services beyond the plan, leading to hundreds of dollars in bills at checkout. One reviewer paid over $300 for an application fee and had to pursue a refund.
Do I see the same vet each visit?
Multiple reviewers report seeing a different vet at nearly every appointment, making continuity of care difficult.
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Last updated 2026-07-05