Confidentiality......would you file a complaint with the vet board? - Page 2

now, just asking.....based on info provided....could it have been a mistaken identity? meaning if rescue had a dog in their possetion that somehow either got assigned your dog # or fell under same name and description or simply someone from staff pulled your dogs old file on current dog and followed up with latest vet thinking that the dog still needs surgery and now that it is back in their possession they need to proceed mean while they have a different dog.  i just don't see them gaining anything by saying they have your dog... I know that this happens in medical facilities with human beings hence the constant pt. verification and questions before every action, so it sure can happen to a dog....i dont know all facts but sems like there is a possibility of that happening....?

How does a rescue in another state with no working relationship with your vet even know where to look for this dog?  unless of course you gave them this info and they were following up.  Is this dog in rescue or is this dog now "owned" ?  It's a wild guess, but on the surface it seems you were transferred a dog form one rescue to your "rescue" under the terms it be neutered and under care for a prostate issue.  I'd say the previous rescue is more than able to and one that is dilligent will follow up and see that it is done.  Why exactly are you upset?  Unless you don't plan on neutering the dog and they're pressuring you too?

I know in NY, "any time" I have contacted a vet about a pup that "used to be" mine, the Vet will not disclose without consent from the owner. Which BTW, I think it should be.
As far as the rescue dog, I have had "numerous" people tell me they will not get a rescue dog due to the fact some rescues "more or less" retain ownership and rights over the rescue dog.
Can't say I blame them. Once a dog becomes "mine", that's what it should be. MY dog.
What kind of contract do you have with the rescue?

Zdog,

I sent the rescue a letter from the vet that the dog was under medical care. They used the letterhead to contact the vet . And the reason I'm upset (and maybe because I work in the medical field and a HIPPA compliance person) is that I believe there be some confidentiality between a client and a vet. Since when is it ok for another entity to make decisions for you then expect you to roll over and be good with it? Oh and pay for it to boot. Because they contacted the vet, they took my right to request more time from the vet to push his neuter out. I've been out of work for 4 months and just received my first check after 5 weeks of working. I just didn't have the money to do it. Feed my kid or neuter the dog. No brainer for me. I know the dog needs to be neutered that isn't even the issue. He is 10 and with the neuter, I am hoping it will resolve some of his medical problems. The dog is with me and probably will be till he passes because who is going to adopt a 10 yo dog. I'm not trying to get out of the neuter, I just needed more time.

Barb
 

Could you clear something up here? You gave this vet contact info as a reference to the rescue or did they someone find what vet you were taking him to? If you gave the reference, and the vet knew you did, that would seem to qualify as consent to discuss the dogs medical problems, especially since they were checking to be sure you took care of preexisting ones, with the rescue. And no, vets do not have the same confidentiality laws as doctors.

Ang

Bhaugh, I feel that you did give tacit consent, in a way, for the
Rescue to contact your vet - by supplying the copy of the letter on the
practice letterhead.  As Kitkat says, some rescue organisations feel
they go on owning responsibility for dogs even after foster placement
or rehoming.  Unlike Kitkat, I can see it from their angle too.

Maybe with this one you ought to have asked yourself if you should
have taken this dog on at this time ?  I realise you are cross about being
put under financial pressure in this instance;  but like I said, if it were
me I'd have a conversation with the Rescue about why they felt the need
to ring the Vet.  Particularly since you had some of their 60 days left. JMO.

Barb,click on the link I posted earlier and review the AVMA report regarding confidentiality laws that apply to vets in your state. Take it from there.

If the dog is owned free and clear, why send the rescue a letter about the vet care?

While I do not know if vets in MI & WI are held to any actual laws regarding confidentiality, I know NONE of my vets that I use would do this. I recently sold a horse to a gal that uses the same (equine) vet I do & I had to sign a release form so they could pass along the horse's vet records to the new owner. 
I have also had to give written permission so my (small animal) vet could send the health records for a pup to it's new vet/owner.
Regardless if this is done as a courtesy or not, I would be ticked off if one of my vets gave medical or personal info out without my permission, especially if it was over the phone with no way to determine who exactly was on the receiving end.

I wanted to clear something up. The other rescues role was to ONLY pull the dog for me from a shelter that I had no pull rights. I did not foster or adopt this dog from them. As a matter of fact before I took possession of the dog, I had to sign a liability waver to take full responsibility of the dog before I could even get him out.

Two.....this dog was on his last day. The choice was....to come home with me and live inside with my other rescue or be picked up by a larger rescue with a high chance the dog would be in boarding until he could be adopted. That would have been ok if the dog wasn't 10. Had someone else come forward to take him, I would have kindly backed out. But the day before I left, no one stepped up.

The rescue contacted me within a few days of getting him to immediately neuter him but because he was sick, I thought it better to wait. I supplied the letter from the vet to notify them, that's all. No other consent was given at any time. Had I signed a release then this issue would be mute. So other than sending a letter to the rescue to state that the dog was under a vets care on letterhead from the vet and sick at the time it was written, no consent to contact the vet at any time was given or implied.

I looked up my state and there are no statues of confidentiality. And whether you agree with me or not, the truth is, if your in a state that has no confidentiality laws like mine, you could end up in my shoes. The situation may be different but the end result of having absolutely no rights or protection of keeping records confidential is the same. What happens if your in a lawsuit. Something like this could literally kill a case.

Barb