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September 2022 by Jessica L.
FVH is well deserving of its high review rating on Google. I've been taking my two Cavaliers to them since the beginning of 2020 and I've experienced nothing but the best care and love towards my animals from their front desk staff to their vets. Even when they are swamped with patients, I've never felt rushed or that my pets received less than their best. One of my Cavs had been struggling with chronic allergies since she was a puppy, the worst part of which were the awful ear infections she would get year round. It has taken a toll on her hearing. Until I met with Dr. Kennedy, no vet had taken the time to truly listen, take a detailed history and recommend alternatives when previous treatments had failed or proved to be unsustainable. Now Lily has the right meds and nothing has worked better. She isn't bothered by chronic ear infections anymore, doesn't itch and chew her paws non-stop, and can enjoy herself all seasons of the year! Thank you FVH for your dedication to our pets.
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September 2021 by JB B.
Our dog loves this place. Treats, "fear free", a caring listening Dr, we won't go anywhere else. Very caring and kind people here! Highly recommended !
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August 2021 by Sandy S.
I truly appreciated my vet from earlier days, but my access to her became non existant so I elected to consider options..... I AM SO GLAD I DID..... FAIRHAVEN VET is truly the most compassionate, knowledgeable, caring set of staff I have ever encountered over numerous years. There was no manhandling of either of my two cats, and there was no instruction to "back away as the staff only knew best", I am truly grateful for the stress free environment, the time taken to examine and educate to my cats' health condition. The personal touch and caring I encountered and witnessed is absolutely extraordinary and compassionate. Staff had read the medical information before the apptmt, and entered the room prepared to identify primary concersn and to proceed with exam and vaccinations given as my animals were ready. Actual discussion then occurred in the visit as the cats relaxed, and when Ii could receive the information. Additional phone call later confirmed plan and my understanding. Costs were discussed, and quotes provided, that were reasonable and commensurate with other clinics. The extraordinary thing is having given the range of prices that could occur, they did in fact conclude in this visit under their quote. I am so grateful to work with this clinic and staff. I did not realize such an experience was possible. HIGH RECOMMEND THIS CLINIC. SSproule
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July 2021 by Frances D.
I'm very thankful and happy that they fit my senior pug, Earl in this week. He had a tremendous hole inside his neck which turned into a huge swollen puss-filled mass. Dr Wendy and her team really came through for us. He's literally jogging now. I haven't seen him move so fast since 2017!!
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June 2021 by Jackie Hall
The staff and medical team are the best! Very caring!
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June 2021 by Brian K.
I've had a lot of animals and been to a lot of vets. I worked as a vet assistant when I was a kid and I have to say this is the best vet experience I have ever even heard about, let alone experienced myself. The staff was AMAZING. They made our puppy feel very comfortable. During any hands-on exam portions of the visit, there was the Vet doing the exam and then an assistant petting or feeding tiny treats to him to make him feel at ease. Things were explained well. They didn't talk down or assume I knew more than I did. It was a great balance. When it came time for the shots the same thing: vet tech giving the meds and the assistance distracting him. When he got his shot he didn't even flinch. The 'no fear' concept really applies here. It's not just hype. It was as wonderful an experience as I could have ever hoped for in a vet visit. As I was leaving I made the joke "I wish MY doctor put this much time into making me feel as comfortable as you all put into making my dog feel comfortable." As long as I live in Bellingham, this will be our new Vet Clinic.
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May 2021 by D L.
This business clearly cares nothing about the three one star reviews that have been posted since October of 2020. The reviews had always been overwhelmingly stellar. They should pay attention to what those folks have said as well as what I am saying now. I felt FVH could do no wrong. I started taking my cat here in 2014 upon my arrival in Bellingham. I based my decision on the reviews as well as the area of town I was living in. I raved about them each time I went both to them directly and to people within the community. I thanked them for the caring and thorough service they provided. I was diligent in making appts. when necessary, providing e-mail updates, and more. When an emergency arose in November of 2020, they were accommodating and figured out what was wrong and responded immediately in addressing the health issues my cat was experiencing. He was diagnosed with CKD. I took him in last December for more bloodwork and then again in March of this year. His bloodwork was showing that his system was improving. The staff at FVH responded to my requests for rx food, rx medication, and I was so pleased. This drastically changed last month. I had sent an e-mail updating them that my cat was beginning to vomit more frequently (not an emergency but needed to let them know and request guidance). In the e-mail, I also mentioned rx food, and another topic. When I received both a voicemail and brief text from one of their staff members (In my previous review, I mentioned this person by name but feel that is not appropriate as I rethink it), they didn't address the vomiting issue at all. I responded via e-mail (I prefer written documentation so I can save it in my files) that I was concerned that this topic had been ignored. I asked if another staff member could respond. The original one intervened and left me another voicemail (a condescending one) about our "miscommunication" (of which there wasn't any.....this person just didn't address the topic) and requested a call back. She still did not address the vomiting concern. She e-mailed me reiterating what she had said in her voicemail while still refusing to address the vomiting concern. I told her there was no miscommunication and that she just refused to address my concerns. I told her to have the vet (will not publicly put their name here) contact me. Her response was, "___________ is out of the office until Friday so you will not hear back from ___________ until then." Wow! I e-mailed her back and said she should not be in this line of work and that I would post negative reviews. I heard back the following Tuesday finally. The tone of the doctor (via e-mail) was not the friendly tone I had received on all other occasions. Little did I know that the other shoe was about to drop. The Practice Manager fired me as a client. This clearly had already been decided since the records for my cat had already been put in the mail to me. This was retaliation for my original negative review (I have written documentation that says outright). Not one apology for how I was treated. I told her I would consult my attorney. I then decided to let the Practice Manager know that if she would give me a rx for refills on my cat's kidney diet foods that I would delete the reviews. There was no response to my email. I then received a letter in the mail with the rx. The letter again offered no apology and made it clear again that I was fired. Do they really think I would go back anyways after being treated so poorly? The Practice Manager and one of the doctors ignored my last e-mail when I gave constructive criticism over the significant cancel culture in Bellingham (many other people have said this) that FVH now became a part of in regards to my experience in this city. I am working on plans to relocate. I have lived in many places and never have I been so disgusted with the overall culture and lack of empathy until I moved here. To be so disregarded by FVH proves that compassionate care really does not extend to a client when he or she voices upset over how th
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April 2021 by David L
I received an e-mail from Dr. Hinckley (after my original review two paragraphs down) which had a less friendly tone than he had always had in the past. Not rude, but not friendly either. I was disappointed. I then received an e-mail from Sarah M. (she signed her name as the practice manager but Michael B. is listed as the practice manager everywhere else I have looked..including on the return address of the chart record that was sent to me...mmmmmmmmmm) retaliating against me for writing a negative review (there wouldn't be a negative review if the situation had been remedied.....clearly they just play the victim and not own up to their own wrongdoing...terrible way to attempt to do business) firing me as a client and stating I had problems with their staff and that it is best I find care elsewhere. First of all, it was one staff person who was indeed rude (but FVH doesn't care if an employee is rude to a client......the client could possibly have the blame placed on him or her like was done to me......FVH does not care in navigating difficult situations in a reasonable fashion) and secondly, FVH is okay leaving me out in the cold with a cat that has feline kidney disease. They know finding new care is very difficult but they don't care. My experience with the individuals mentioned is that they play mind games and are passive-aggressive and dishonest. I really believe once they found out I was going to be relocating to another city in the not too distant future, they took the "easy" way out and fired me. Before I leave Bellingham, I will tell every person I know at the grocery store, pharmacy, etc. NOT to go to FVH for care. I will tell them my accurate account of my experience which I am completely allowed to do. Really sad that one of my two 1 star reviews in Bellingham is now for a business that I was always so happy with. I spent a lot of money there, was always on time for appts., gave e-mail updates so they could add them to my cat's record, etc. I don't know why I even wasted time writing a review. They don't care. However, this is the overall attitude by folks in Bellingham. I cannot move fast enough. Plans being ironed out and then this terrible city will be in my rearview mirror. ***This review is in regards to Jennifer*** ***The rest of the staff, Dr. Hinckley, Dr. Kummer, Dr. S., and Dr. Godbey are all awesome (have not had any experiences with any others on the vet team)*** It pains me greatly to be leaving a one star review. I have been taking my feline family member here since 2014 and have always experienced top notch service. Front desk, responses to e-mails, interactions with the techs, vet team, and feel FVH is the best vet I have ever worked with to provide care. My furry friend was diagnosed with CKD last November. He had a series of tests run in 11/2020 and the staff was so kind and kept assuring me that everything was going to be okay, and that a good plan would be worked out. I brought him in December for follow-up bloodwork and then again in March for the same thing (as well as a weight check). Dr. Hinckley (always so awesome) sent an e-mail (I like written communication so I have documentation for my records) that was detailed and he stated that my furry friend had gone from stage 3 back down to stage 2, and ended his e-mail with encouraging words for me. A couple of weeks ago, my sweet feline friend started vomiting more frequently. I e-mailed FVH. I then received a voicemail the next day from Jennifer. She did not acknowledge or respond to the concerns I brought forth. She only made mention of a rx food order situation. I sent a follow-up e-mail stating that she did not address my concerns and could somebody other than her respond to my e-mail. She intervened, called and left a message stating she would like to chat with me because she felt there had been miscommunication. There was no communication. She did not acknowledge my concerns and still was not doing so. She then e-mailed me stating she had tried to call me. I responded and told her I was not g
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April 2021 by David L
COVID-19 Updates Edit Contact the business for more information about recent service changes. Review Highlights “I feel so fortunate to have found Fairhaven Vet and will definitely be using them for our whole furry family.” in 9 reviews “Dr. Johnson is our favorite vet ever, but we have received excellent service from each person there for each of our many dogs over the last 20 years.” in 3 reviews “Highly recommend the staff here for the love they've shown our fur babies.” in 3 reviews Location & Hours Map 2330 Old Fairhaven Pkwy Bellingham, WA 98225 Mon 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM Tue 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM Wed 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM Thu 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM Open now Fri 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM Sat Closed Sun Closed Edit business info You Might Also Consider Sponsored PetSmart 31 5.9 miles away from Fairhaven Veterinary Hospital Grooming at Petsmart® Fast & Easy Online Booking Book Online or w/ PetSmart App in Pet Groomers, Pet Stores Petco 21 5.2 miles away from Fairhaven Veterinary Hospital Easy Online Booking Goodbye Matting, Book A Grooming Appointment Today! in Pet Groomers About the Business Located in Bellingham, WA, Fairhaven Veterinary Hospital is proud to be a member of the Fairhaven neighborhood since 1979, providing full service veterinary care and referals to the wonderful communities throughout Whatcom and Skagit county. We are firmly committed to providing com… Ask the Community Ask a question Got a question about Fairhaven Veterinary Hospital? Ask the Yelp community! Recommended Reviews Your trust is our top concern, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more. Search within reviews Search within reviews Newest First Username Location 00 Start your review of Fairhaven Veterinary Hospital. D L. Bellingham, WA 05 4/17/2021 ***This review is in regards to Jennifer*** ***The rest of the staff, Dr. Hinckley, Dr. Kummer, Dr. S., and Dr. Godbey are all awesome (have not had any experiences with any others on the vet team)*** It pains me greatly to be leaving a one star review. I have been taking my feline family member here since 2014 and have always experienced top notch service. Front desk, responses to e-mails, interactions with the techs, vet team, and feel FVH is the best vet I have ever worked with to provide care. My furry friend was diagnosed with CKD last November. He had a series of tests run in 11/2020 and the staff was so kind and kept assuring me that everything was going to be okay, and that a good plan would be worked out. I brought him in again in December for follow-up bloodwork and then again in March for the same thing (as well as a weight check). Dr. Hinckley (always so awesome) sent an e-mail (I like written communication so I have documentation for my records) that was detailed and he stated that my furry friend had gone from stage 3 back down to stage 2, and ended his e-mail with encouraging words for me. A couple of weeks ago, my sweet feline friend started vomiting more frequently. I e-mailed FVH. I then received a voicemail the next day from Jennifer. She did not acknowledge or respond to the concerns I brought forth. She only made mention of a rx food order situation. I sent a follow-up e-mail stating that she did not address my concerns and could somebody other than her respond to my e-mail. She intervened, called and left a message stating she would like to chat with me because she felt there had been miscommunication. There was no communication. She did not acknowledge my concerns and still was not doing so. She then e-mailed me stating she had tried to call me. I responded and told her I was not going to respond any further to her request to chat since there was no miscommunication. I stated my concerns. For some reason she had no desire to address my concerns. I explained some other factors that had been adding more stress to my life just to make it clear that the vomiting was bothering me more because of my already heightened emotions. Her response was that she was sorry that I am having so many "issues." She
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April 2021 by Reece Williams
Recently my experience with Fairhaven vet has significantly deteriorated. The reception staff is less than helpful in emergent situations, and this facility as of late seems to care less about doing the right thing to try to help their pet patients and more about liability and billing. My dog was recently injured, scratched by a cat in the eye and I was 200 miles away from home with no Veterinarian access. I called Fairhaven seeking any type of assistance or advice because th
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February 2021 by Amy Z.
We have entrusted the care of our three "children" here for the last few years. The care is always thorough, compassionate, and conservative. We never feel pressured to do expensive treatments, medicines, etc. The veterinarians are very realistic to the costs associated with care and treating known or unknown issues, which I appreciate. I have always felt like the care given here to our animals is amazing and beyond any care we've had in the past. I've been here a lot during covid with two senior animals and find appointment times are appropriately scheduled given the issue, refills promptly refilled, and the staff are always friendly and helpful. I love the no fear business practice. Our Zoe gated people and does well here given the extra steps they take. Highly recommend the staff here for the love they've shown our fur babies. Also love printed receipts with photos of my pets during their appointment, too cute.
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February 2021 by Brittany Echo
They are literally hands down the best.
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October 2020 by Traci H.
I am absolutely appalled by the service we are receiving- or in this case, not receiving! We have been taking our dogs to Fairhaven Vet for 6 years, and when we have an emergent issue during business hours- where my dog cannot walk on one leg, they tell me it's a week out for him to be seen, or we can establish care elsewhere and maybe he can be seen there sooner. That is absolutely unacceptable when we are established patients.
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October 2020 by Bruce C.
Over the course of 50 years, I have had many vets. Some have come close, but none impressed me as much as Fairhaven. Many vets do the coochie coo dance and go through the motions of caring. At Fairhaven, the compassion is palpable. You feel at home. When our beloved Cocker Spaniel, Kinzie endured crises they shepherded her back to health with love and caring. As Kinzie neared her trip across the rainbow bridge, we knew they took it seriously. We could see the anguish in the doctor's face; at one point he was close to tears. He went to the wall in caring for her, and gave us another year with our beloved little girl. Kinzie lived 14 years. This is a debt that can never be repaid. After a year of mourning, we now have another Cocker Spaniel. Even though we now live in Everson, I won't even consider another vet.
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July 2020 by Matthew L.
Three of our NorwichTerriers have received excellent care at FVH. For example, most recently, a fractured tooth was removed from our newest Norwich. Knowing the anesthesia and vital signs are monitored by one person while another performed the procedure (plus complete tooth cleaning) is both reassuring to us AND a best practice for pets under anesthesia which one doesn't find everywhere. Our dog received outstanding care before, during and after the procedure. We received a superb, clear, informative debriefing -- both verbally and also complete with written findings, photos, radiographs -- which helped us understand exactly what happened, and what future dental care should be. All our questions were answered with attention, patience, and clarity. Special kudos to Dr. Mark Kummar: over the past 20 years we have worked with dozens of Vets in California, Oregon, and now Washington, and he is right at the very top in terms of both expertise and communication. We are appreciative of, and extremely impressed by, everyone at FVH!
