Pet owners usually know what they’re looking for but, sometimes, it can be hard to find it. No such problems though in the Sandhole Veterinary Centre in Snodland, Kent where the warmth and compassion shown towards animals is the first thing to hit you when you walk through the door. I can’t tell you how I was able to identify that but it really was apparent to the inner consumer in me, even though I was really there to talk to Verity who is both practice manager and married to Ian Johnson, the veterinary principal in this modern and airy six vet practice.
Of course, every practice has its heartwarming cases but Ian and Verity’s very modest approach belies their strong conviction that people are far better at adopting the right approach to responsible pet ownership when they understand the reasons why preventative care is so essential. Educating people, sometimes schoolchildren or whole families, about pet ownership and the most appropriate pet is an essential part of this thoroughly modern practice with reassuringly compassionate values.
In 2014, Sandhole Veterinary Centre was awarded a Silver Cat Friendly Clinic status and their caring “Cattitude’ along with their successful open days and the cat collage on the practice Facebook page makes all clients, old and new, fully aware of how seriously Sandhole Vets takes the process of making their feline patients comfortable and relaxed wherever possible.
That’s no surprise to the local community though as it is little coincidence that this practice has grown from a humble terraced house to modern, purpose-built premises and from a single handed practice to a five vet practice with a staff of 24 in around seven years. As I said earlier, consumers just love it when they find what they’re looking for.