I was employed at Demanes Animal Hospital 04/99 thru -11. I should have not stayed past a year! My attachment to the animals, clients, the location of the job and the poor mindset that I might not get any good jobs kept me there.
During my first year working there we lost two good (Excellent!) doctors due to the owner, Mr. Scott Demanes, causing trouble. Many other doctors came and went and they didn't stay because of the way Mr. Demanes was abusive towards animals and staff at the clinic.
I witnessed Mr. Demanes beating (all out assault!), on an animal (large, black dog placed in kennel in cat ward), who had passed away due to a surgery. Death due from complications during surgery or the skills of Mr. Demanes who operated on the dog, I will never find out because Necropsy was not done.
Mr. Demanes words to the dog's body was "Why the hell did you have to die! Why did you have to do this to ME!" I assume he said these words and did these actions because he didn't want to have to confront the owner about the dogs death. Also, Mr. Demanes daughter, Ava Demanes (age 5-6 at the time), was witness to these events! She was beside me in the kennels when this occurred. I explained to her that "Under no circumstances should you ever do what your father just did! Ever!" I hope she understood because she herself wanted to become a veterinarian when she grew up.
I never received raises. I was shorted vacation time. I was made to do jobs that really didn't pertain to my job as Vet Tech (ex. Babysitting owners children, Taking care of the owners trucks and cars, Lawn, garden and building maintenance, Transportation of owner/family members/friends, Cooking on unsafe stoves at the unused houses on next door property purchased by Mr. Demanes, etc.)
What topped it was that Mr. Scott Demanes did not honor MY REQUEST to have Dr. Brian Lucas (Dr. Hamm now for he had changed his name.) do surgery on one of my own personal pets (Cat). Mr. Demanes proceeded with the surgery after looking at me and saying "You look worried!". The surgery was botched. This lead to extra hospitalization, catherization, additional medications and time in pain for my pet. I then realized that I was dealing with someone who shouldn't continue to be a veterinarian. It was bad enough taking the abuse from him but to have him take it out on my pet was too much. I was dealing with a vindictive person. I then realized that no matter what I can do to try to please this person, it will not work and I had wasted time and risked the lives of many animals. I am sure Mr. Scott Demanes injured my cat because he was upset that I didn't cook the food properly that he himself had prepared.
I should have realized that Mr. Demanes was having financial problems when he accused me of loosing business and having one particular client not want to pay his bill based on me telling the client "I do not know what is wrong with this dog. Our veterinarians are on lunch break now. Please come back when lunch is over or you may stay inside and wait." What Mr. Demanes also mentioned during the accusation was that the client had told him that "I wasn't going to pay any bills anyway. I am a friend of a friend of yours Mr. Demanes." So Mr. Demanes was blaming Me for a client HE accepted and that the CLIENT came right out and SAID that he would NOT pay his bill even BEFORE anyone treated the dog!
Many times Mr. Demanes told me not to treat animals based on the fact that he thought the owner wasn't going to pay for the service (he could have called and asked the client, not just assume on looks and attitude of client), and that the pet alone wasn't worth it.
I admit that I did some wrong in staying. I hope someday that Mr. Scott Demanes will admit to his problems and actually get help and treatment and better himself and his business. Until then, STAY AWAY for the health and welfare of your pets!!!
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