(I'm pasting this from my Google review, as I think it's important to get this information out wherever I can. I wrote this on Friday January 30th 2026.)
It's Friday, January 30th as I write this - 9 days after Dr. Ferens and her assistant (whose name, I believe, was Anne) came into my mom's and my home to euthanize our dog, Buddha.
At around 12:30 pm on Wednesday, January 21st, we heard a knock at the door and had no idea we were about to experience one of the most traumatic and compassionless 15 minutes (yes... only fifteen minutes from start to finish) of our lives.
From the moment they arrived, everything was rushed. We had never met Dr. Ferens before. She quickly wrote down information, opened her briefcase with the medications, and asked my mother when she wanted to pay. My mother then paid. No questions, no checking in with us, no offer to spend time with Buddha. Just a transaction. There was no compassion, empathy, or humanity.
Buddha ran to his bed where I was when he saw the stethoscope. He was scared and came to me. Dr. Ferens approached him from behind to muzzle him, and he growled. I explained that he growls but does not bite. She made no effort to warm up to him. No petting, no talking, nothing.
What happened next was completely unethical. She asked me--not her assistant--to muzzle my own dog. I am not a vet. I was in shock and survival mode, incapable of consenting to something like this. I don't know if I will ever fully recover from that moment. It's been replaying in my head constantly since then.
Around this time, Dr. Ferens snapped at her assistant, saying, "I told you to go over there." This happened right in front of us during one of the most vulnerable moments of our lives. The assistant, Anne, appeared to be walking on eggshells around the doctor the entire time. Anne, however, showed quiet compassion and cried when Buddha passed. The contrast between them was heartbreaking.
After I muzzled Buddha, Dr. Ferens asked for a towel without explaining why, threw it over his head, and sedated him. She never explained how quickly it would happen. I asked if I could give him water, and she said, "yes, but the sedation will kick in soon," without explaining that "soon" meant less than a minute.
I held the bowl as he desperately licked, trying to fight the sedation. His eyes closed, and he continued licking the floor before going unconscious. None of this was explained. At all.
She administered the final injection shortly after, confirmed his heart had stopped, then they packed up, and left.
Our experience with our other dog's euthanasia a year and a half earlier at Yavapai Emergency Animal Hospital was the complete opposite. You can even look through my reviews here and find it. That doctor (Dr. Page) gave us time, walked us through everything, and showed genuine care... in an EMERGENCY setting. He even waited until our other family members (including Buddha) arrived. Their compassion and care meant the world to us.
You would think an at-home euthanasia would be peaceful. Even sacred.
Well, we thought wrong.
My mother and I are deeply traumatized. We were not given time or permission to say goodbye. Everything was rushed while we were vulnerable and confused. All we are left with now is regret. Regret for calling Visiting Vet Mobile Animal. Regret for how our final moments with our dog were handled. And regret that this experience has overshadowed our ability to grieve.
I will be filing a complaint with the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board. It is also important to note that my partner was present via FaceTime for the duration of the appointment and witnessed the events as they occurred. This provides an additional, independent account of the experience.
I am sad, angry, disgusted, and horrified. I don't see many negative reviews here. Maybe we caught Dr. Ferens on a bad day. Even so, there is no excuse for what happened. I truly hope no one else ever has to experience this.
If this was simply a bad day for her, I hope she knows that her bad day will pass. But the day she caused us, because of the state she was in, is now permanently etched into our memories forever.
Rest in paradise, Buddha. We love you. read more