CLINIC HQ

10.2.3.2. Being Safe Curbside

Ensuring Safety and Efficiency with Curbside Check In

Designate specific staff or volunteers to direct traffic and ensure that clients are properly instructed to keep their pets safely contained in their vehicles at all times. This helps minimize stress for the animals, maintains a smooth flow, and ensures the safety of both the pets and clinic staff.

Logistics

  • All staff wear safety vests for visibility.
  • Have a clearly mapped-out path for vehicles to follow.
  • Reduce the distance from the car to the door, this is part of reducing trigger stacking.
  • Assign someone to politely ask owners to roll up windows. If their windows are broken, leap frog them to the front. Also, give owners a leash to slip of their pup’s neck to hold onto them.
  • Have everything you need already setup in the parking lot so staff doesn’t have to leave the parking lot.

Tips for unloading animals curbside

We deeply believe fear free handling. Any staff that works at a shelter, non-profit veterinary clinic or animal welfare organization can take the Fear Free course for free. Here’s where to register: Register now.

Our quick tips:

  • Muzzles: If you feel a dog is a bite risk, ask the owner to slip a muzzle on their pet. Only leave the muzzle from right before taking the dog from the car, through the exam and pre-med. Then take the muzzle off when slipping them into the kennel.
  • Head towels: With small dogs, it’s easy to drape a towel over their head to prevent biting.
  • Owner walk in: If needed, the owner can walk their pet in.
  • Windows up: Ask all owners to roll up windows to prevent pets from jumping out.
  • Hands out: Staff should not stick their hands through the windows for fear that dogs might snap at them.
  • Pre-printed packets: Pre-print patient packets, write neck collars and write out cat carrier masking tapes.
  • Two tapes: Write out two masking tapes for cat carriers in case one falls off.
  • Pre-signed consents forms: Along with pre-signing up for appointments, key up templates for clients to pre-sign. This makes your line move faster.
  • Exam flow: Ensure your exams are only two minutes apart. This is the key controller for how fast your line moves, how fast your exams move.
  • Leap frog: Leap frog to the front any open bed pickup trucks with pets in the back.
  • Split dogs and cats: Have dogs check in from 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM and cats from noon to one.
  • Reduce triggers: Don’t pet the pets, don’t unload more than one dog at a time, reduce distance from car to exam.
  • Multiples: For any family that has more than four dogs, have them come early for check in, before normal check in.
  • No-Go: If the dog is too distressed for safe examination, surgery may be declined for further evaluation.