COVID-19 update for Drovers Vet Hospital: We are living in unprecedented times and it appears as if things are changing on a daily basis. With this in mind, we wanted to keep all our pet owners informed. Firstly, we are still open for business and able to see your pets during our normal consulting hours. Secondly, we have introduced numerous initiatives to keep both our staff as well as our clients safe during these times. These include:

• Increased sanitisation protocols within our facility. We have always used high quality products for this and will continue to do so. Our focus is on surfaces, objects and personal hand hygiene. The number of times throughout the day this is done has increased and we have from the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak, introduced numerous increased personal hygiene protocols. For you, our clients, we have placed numerous hand sanitising products in our waiting room and we ask if you could please make use of these when you arrive, after exiting the consult room and for your own safety, after touching any objects within the waiting area - the most commonly used of which is the EFTPOS machine (we are also disinfecting the machine numerous times throughout the day).
• We ask that you keep the number of people or family members present during any consultation to 1 person. We will make exceptions to this in particular circumstances but this will be on an individually assessed basis.
• Our reception staff, from a duty of care point, will need to ask some questions when you book your appointment and for many clients these may be repeated on re-visit appointments etc. We ask that you please be understanding and patient with our staff during this time, as they only have you and your pet's best interest at heart. After all - our main focus is to get through these times being able to remain open and fully staffed during the process in order to be able to see to the medical needs of all your fur babies during this time. This will only be possible if we adhere to protocols and simple principles of health during this time.
• If you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, or are experiencing any symptoms, or have tested positive, we ask that you please make alternative arrangements for someone to bring your pet in to see us. Please do call us and please do make an appointment should your pet require attention - but please just let the receptionist know of any of the above at the time. That way, our staff can prepare fully for your pet's visit. Our staff will discuss alternative options with you at the time of your booking - these may require you bringing your pet to the clinic but notifying reception of your arrival from the carpark. One of our staff will then bring your pet in for you from your car. Once again we ask that everyone remain patient and understanding of any changes during this time.
• Once again - may I just re-iterate - there is NO EVIDENCE TO SHOW INFECTION OF COVID-19 WITH REGARDS TO YOUR PETS.
• Once again, may I remind you of our quieter times where we have less traffic through our doors (generally speaking). This is generally from 11am - 3pm weekdays. We would encourage clients to utilise these times if possible, should any person require to decrease likelihood of person to person contact.
• We also ask that at all times, people are aware of and respect the 1.5m social distancing recommendation - both in the waiting area and in the consult room. With this in mind, we would need to also decrease any in hospital visitations in our hospital. We would be more than happy to arrange face-time visitation through various media for you and your fur babies should you require - just ask any of our team members!
• We will be marking out the appropriate distancing recommendations in our reception area and each consult room - as set out by the government and we asked that you please respect and adhere to these. We have a very large waiting area and thus we are very able to accommodate the recommended distancing protocols. This area and the furniture is also cleaned and disinfected regularly throughout the day.
• How we conduct consults during these times may change and we ask that you are understanding of whatever process/ protocol we put in place.
• CHRONIC MEDICATIONS - we will always endeavour to have stock of what your pets need. However, we do ask that if your pet is on an essential chronic medication, that you please ensure that you have 6-8 weeks supply of this on hand.

We are continually observing the process and may need to further adapt and change as time goes on. This may impact how we see and examine your pets and we ask that you remain understanding and patient during these times. I am committed to looking after the safety and health of my staff as a high priority to thus ensure that we play our role in decreasing the community transmission of this virus. Through this we are also highly committed to providing high quality, uninterrupted veterinary care for all your pets. It appears that even in worst case scenarios, that veterinary services will be classed as essential services and so we would still be able to provide these for your pets at all times.Our hospital will be moving to a 2 team staffing protocol as from Monday 30th March. This will enable us in all circumstances, to provide continuous 7 day a week, normal hours care for your pet. The only hours this will effect will be our Sunday opening hours which will be 9am to 1pm. The other main effect for you, our clients, may be that the availability of your favourite vet or staff member will not be as continuous as previously. Please just ask reception at the time of your phone call on veterinarian availability should you require. We are still able to perform all our normal and advanced procedures both diagnostically and surgically.Dr Wayne Shipham - Owner Drovers Veterinary Hospital