These are great compassionate people! My sweet little 14 1/2 year old Brittany suddenly passed. Her heart gave out unexpectably. I live in Ludlow, 1 hour away. They took us right away. It was 9:30 on Sunday pm. Traffic on Pike was slow. My eyes are still red from crying. We mi s s her. The team at Foster were super great and compassionate. This morning. I recieved a welcome surprise which made me cry. A beautiful handwritten card with paw ink print and mold of my little girl Molly. Means alot. Thank you.
This is closest you're going to get to a level 5 trauma unit for animals of all kind.
If you're going to go into the EI you best to give him a heads up call first.
If you got less than an hour to drive this is a place to go.
I would never trust Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals with another pet again after what I experienced during my dog Max’s final hours.
What should have been a compassionate and transparent experience during one of the worst nights of my life turned into confusion, emotional trauma, lack of communication, and complete emotional detachment from the people responsible for caring for my dog.
What hurts the most is that nobody ever truly made me understand how critical Max’s condition was or that death was a real possibility that night. At no point did anyone sit me down with urgency, compassion, or honesty to explain just how severe things were becoming. I was left believing there was still time and stability, only for my dog to suddenly crash and die. If I had known how dire his condition truly was, I would have spent every second differently.
Money was NEVER the issue. I made it clear from the beginning that I wanted Max treated and stabilized and that I was willing to do whatever needed to be done for him. 5k? No problem, 20k? NO PROBLEM name the price. Yet while my dog was actively declining, I felt like I was constantly left searching for answers instead of being properly informed and supported.
After obtaining Max’s medical records, I was left with even more questions because portions of the documented timeline did not match what I personally experienced that night. Trying to compare records to real-life events while grieving your dog is something no owner should ever have to do.
The doctors showed a level of coldness and lack of empathy that I will never forget. During one of the most devastating moments imaginable, I felt absolutely no compassion, reassurance, urgency, or humanity. The entire interaction felt emotionally detached, dismissive, and uncaring while my family was falling apart watching our dog die.
What will stay with me forever is arriving at the hospital only minutes after receiving the call and finding Max’s body already cold. I was not hours away. I was nearby and rushed there immediately. Walking in and feeling my dog already cold after everything that happened was horrifying and only added more confusion and pain to an already traumatic experience.
I understand emergency medicine is stressful and not every animal can be saved. But there is NO excuse for making grieving owners feel ignored, uninformed, emotionally abandoned, and left with serious unanswered questions during a life-or-death situation involving a beloved pet.
I left this hospital devastated not only by the loss of Max, but by the way the entire situation was handled. The pain, confusion, and unanswered questions from that night still stay with me every single day.
If you are considering bringing your pet here, I strongly encourage you to carefully consider whether this is the environment you want caring for a family member during a medical emergency.
Rip max, i will love you forever.. I should’ve never brought you here.
4/19/26
We brought our beloved dog in when her local vet was not able to care for her. Everyone from front end staff to Drs, vet techs etc. were absolutely wonderful. The amount of love and compassion they gave our Phoebe was fantastic. The updates on her meant to world to us. The surgeons did a fantastic job. We are forever grateful for her care there. The entire staff has a special place in our hearts.
* UPDATE* 5/8/26 * Thank god I requested her medical documentation, her cause of death was due to increase insulin after she already had high levels they gave her more which caused her to be in cardiac arrest. HOWEVER there was no logical reasoning behind administrating it to her. Seems as if it was done on purpose. I called them to get an explanation and they refused to answer me or speak to me. Now legally will be doing an investigation on the establishment and ethical practices. I truly believe this was intentional or lack of awareness. The puppy was stable at 5:50am then was given dextrose bolus at 6:18 and went into cardiac arrest shortly after. When she never needed the dextrose to begin with. Please people reconsider your choice of care for your animals and ALWAYS trust your gut when it comes to your babies.
From the moment you walk into this clinic, the lack of urgency and compassion is immediately clear. The front desk staff seem disengaged, and there is little sense that patient care is a priority.
During serious conversations with the veterinarian about my pet’s condition, there was unprofessional behavior in the background, including staff LAUGHING. In an emergency setting, that is completely inappropriate and deeply unsettling. It felt disrespectful and made me question the level of care being provided—especially when my puppy was there overnight and ultimately passed away during a staff shift change. What a coincidence.
What concerned me most was the overwhelming sense that financial gain came before genuine care. I felt pushed toward additional tests and higher costs without clear answers or confidence that my pet’s well-being was truly the focus. It often felt like guesswork rather than a clear, decisive plan.
As a pet owner, this experience was not just frustrating—it was alarming. I left feeling that my animal did not receive the urgency, advocacy, or compassion they deserved during a critical time.
Because of this, I would strongly urge other pet owners to THINK very CAREFULLY before bringing their animals here. If you are looking for attentive, compassionate care where your pet’s life is treated with the seriousness it deserves, I would recommend seeking another facility.
I will not be returning.
I should have trusted my GUT and brought my puppy to Angell Memorial.
