At Summit Veterinary Care, our mission is elevating pet care while supporting our community. Because we’re a locally owned, owner‑operated practice in Bristow, VA, every minute, every exam slot, every staff hour matters — not just for us, but for the health and well‑being of pets in our community.

To help honor that mission, we require a small deposit at the time of booking for urgent‑care and surgery appointments. Below, we explain why — and how this policy actually benefits you, our clients and neighbors.

The Reality: Missed Appointments Are Costly

• Across veterinary practices, no‑show rates (clients who book but don’t show up and don’t give notice) commonly run 10–20%, especially among new clients or in busy periods. (Digitail)
  
• Every missed appointment is more than an empty chair — it’s staff time, unused resources, and a lost opportunity to care for another pet in need. (Veterinary Practice News)
  
• For a small, community‑based clinic like ours, frequent no-shows undermine our ability to serve reliably, invest in quality care, and maintain stable hours and staff. (Veterinary Practice News)
  

Because of these facts, many veterinary clinics — including ours — find that requiring a deposit helps protect against missed appointments and supports sustainable, consistent care. (VetSoftwareHub)

Why Deposits Matter for a Small Local Clinic

1. Helps Keep Our Clinic Running Strong
   As a local practice, every appointment counts. Deposits help ensure that we can plan staffing, stock supplies, and manage our schedule with confidence — rather than scrambling after last‑minute gaps caused by no-shows.
2. Protects Our Ability to Invest in Quality Care
   When we avoid repeated no‑shows, our revenue becomes more predictable. That stability allows us to reinvest in advanced equipment, continuing education, quality medications, and client and patient focused amenities.
3. Maximizes Access for All Clients
   When one client doesn’t show, another pet loses out on timely care. With a deposit policy in place, appointment slots are more likely to be honored — or freed up in time for someone else. That improves access and reduces delays for everyone.

The Benefits — from Your Perspective

We’ve heard concerns before: “Why do I need to give a deposit?” “Does it mean I’m being punished if I reschedule?” We want you to know — this policy is designed with your convenience and fairness in mind:

• It helps you secure your spot. Leaving a deposit locks in your appointment time so you don’t get bumped or have to be fit into an already full schedule.
  
• It helps maintain clinic reliability. By reducing last‑minute cancellations and no‑shows, you and other clients benefit from a smoother schedule, shorter wait times, and more predictable availability.
  
• It supports a community‑driven, local business – and covers your examination fee. Your deposit isn’t just money — it’s a vote of confidence in a clinic that aims to serve pets and people in Bristow with integrity and care. The deposit taken for urgent care appointments is the cost of the examination – meaning that you do not need to pay another examination fee when you arrive. 

Our Commitment to Fairness

At Summit Veterinary Care, we treat deposits with respect and transparency. We clearly explain the deposit amount at the time of booking, outline our cancellation/reschedule policy, and apply deposits to the final bill when you bring your pet in. We aim to ensure that the deposit process is seamless — and never feels like a penalty.

We understand plans change — that’s life. If you need to cancel or reschedule, we simply ask for as much notice as possible so we can re‑offer that time to another pet in need.

In Short — Why We Do This

Requiring a deposit isn’t about distrust. It’s about valuing your time, our time, and the time of every pet waiting for care. It helps us stay full, efficient, and ready — and ensures that when you book with us, that appointment is truly yours.

By asking for a deposit, we protect the quality of our care, support our staff, and preserve availability for the entire Bristow community. For you — it means predictable, considerate, and reliable veterinary service.