All Headlines >>
Dunhelm Veterinary Group in Durham has been targeted by an unusual protest, parked outside its front door.
According to a report in the Northern Echo, the van appeared outside the practice last Saturday.
One of the partners, Jack Creaner told the newspaper that there were no outstanding complaints against the practice and the protest was unexplained.
Although the van has now gone, the practice still has no idea who was behind the protest. However, it does seems to have backfired spectacularly, unleashing a wave of support on the practice's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dunelm-Veterinary-Group/299184546875132
Jack said: "We are very grateful to all the people who took time to make such lovely remarks on social media."
He added the following advice for anyone else who in the profession who finds themselves at the receiving end of this kind of behaviour: "Try not to let these things get to you on a personal level. As we saw lots more people like what we do than don't. As one client put it - you can be the ripest sweetest juiciest peach in the world but someone out there doesn't like peaches."
PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vet nurses.
May I just let you know that "the van" is still there also!! Shocking!!
But the newspaper article gives the registration of the vehicle. If the vehicle is legal, which the newspaper says it is, it will have a registered owner - who will be traceable through DVLA and if it isnt the owner who has done this they must know who they have lent/hired the vehicle to? At least 2 people on the facebook page have alluded to who it might be - it can't be that hard to find out who is behind it?
I work in the vets just along the road from here and many of our clients have commented on it, we've also had a couple of clients transfer from here to our practice because of the van. It's awful that someone can do this without even contacting the practice first with their concerns!! I hope the people who have done this do not start coming to us as no one deserves to have clients like that!! It's been there since a week gone Saturday and I thought the police may move it as it's slander but it is on a public highway....a major route into Durham City centre may I add where thousands of commuters will have seen this :-(
Whilst I accept and support the importance of the public identifying poor service (and worse) with the use of suitable communication. Acts like this are generally carried out by ignorant, ill- educated morons that are not interested in learning about and have no idea of the intricacies of veterinary medicine and costs. They care little about the effect this could have on small businesses of hardworking individuals and its nice to see that sensible people can identify them.