23 Jun 2026
Alison Scull explains how the VCMS mediated in an emotionally charged case following the death of much-cherished family dog.
Alison Scull
Job Title
Image: New Africa / Adobe Stock
Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) was asked to mediate in a case where the death of a cherished family pet sparked a complaint about the clinical decisions made by the vets treating the dog in his final few months.
Alphie was diagnosed with end-stage periodontitis affecting several of his teeth. His oral symptoms were consistent with canine chronic ulcerative stomatitis (CCUS), and after a referral to a dental specialist, it was concluded as the most likely cause.
To treat the CCUS, Alphie underwent full dental extractions, which was very distressing for the dog’s owners. Alphie struggled to recover post-surgery and required multiple re-examinations. It was then discovered that Alphie had developed liver disease, and a blood smear confirmed aggressive cancer.
Following a brief period at home, Alphie had to be euthanised. His owners did not have insurance, and were left with an outstanding bill of £5,500 to pay for Alphie’s treatment.
Despite previous tests showing that Alphie did not have cancer, the dog’s owners felt that the vets should have conducted new tests before going ahead with the dental extractions. They felt that this oversight deprived them of the opportunity to say goodbye to Alphie while he was still comfortable and had quality of life. Alphie’s owners described the emotional impact of his death as overwhelming.
The vet practice responded to the complaint, and while it was sympathetic, it stood by its clinical decision making. Practice vets were also surprised at the later test results for Alphie, as nothing suggested anything was amiss in the earlier tests.
VCMS was asked to mediate the complaint. The mediator highlighted that the client was still experiencing significant shock and grief for the loss of their dog. Their complaint was not about finances – they wanted acknowledgement from the practice that an alternative approach could have been considered and to prevent others having a similar experience.
The vet practice’s head of service gave further explanations to the client about the clinical decision making, which reassured the client they did all they could for Alphie.
During the mediation process, the resolution manager learned how special the dog was to the family and that they planned to have a painting of Alphie made. As a goodwill gesture, the practice agreed to pay for the painting on the condition that the outstanding bill was paid in full. The client was happy to agree to this, a mediation agreement was signed, the bill was paid and the painting costs were covered.
A common misconception exists that mediation outcomes are usually some kind of financial settlement, such as a full or partial refund. However, non-financial outcomes account for almost half of all resolutions.
In Alphie’s case, the mediator was able to listen to the client and navigate an emotionally charged situation by presenting a unique and personal goodwill gesture which brought the two parties to an agreement.
Alison Scull has more than 20 years of experience in the veterinary industry in both clinical and non-clinical roles, and joined the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) in July 2022. Prior to joining, she managed escalated and stakeholder complaints at a large referral hospital within a veterinary university. Alison has also developed a thorough knowledge of mediation techniques through using this approach to complaint resolution. With qualifications in bereavement support and veterinary mental health awareness, she brings powerful insights to her role of resolution manager at the VCMS.