Terms of Service​

Terms of Use and Veterinary Services Disclaimer

Merritt Veterinary Hospital

Effective Date: October 28, 2026
Last Updated: October 28, 2026

1. Acceptance of These Terms

Welcome to the website of Merritt Veterinary Hospital (“MVH,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).

These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of our website, including its content, features, and any appointment requests or inquiries submitted through it.

By accessing or using this website, you agree to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please discontinue using the website.

These terms apply to the use of our website and do not replace separate agreements, consent forms, or policies that may apply when you receive veterinary services from our hospital.

2. Website Information and Purpose

The information provided on this website is intended for general informational and educational purposes. It may include information about our hospital, veterinary team, services, hours of operation, and general animal health topics.

Although we make reasonable efforts to keep the information accurate and current, we cannot guarantee that all information is complete, accurate, or up to date at all times.

Website content is not intended to replace professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment tailored to your animal's individual needs.

If you have concerns about your animal's health, please contact a veterinarian for advice appropriate to your situation.

3. No Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship Through Website Use Alone

Viewing our website, reading our content, or submitting a general inquiry does not, by itself, establish a veterinary-client-patient relationship with MVH.

A veterinary-client-patient relationship is established in accordance with applicable veterinary professional requirements and the circumstances of the care provided.

Veterinary advice, diagnoses, treatment recommendations, and prescriptions require appropriate professional assessment and compliance with applicable laws and professional standards.

Information exchanged through our website or ordinary email may not provide sufficient information for us to assess your animal's condition or determine the appropriate course of treatment.

4. Emergencies and After-Hours Veterinary Care

Our website is not an emergency veterinary service.

Do not rely on website forms, email, or social media messages to obtain urgent veterinary assistance.

If your animal is experiencing a medical emergency, please contact MVH directly by telephone during our operating hours or follow our published instructions for obtaining after-hours veterinary care.

Please refer to our website's contact information and emergency-care instructions for current arrangements.

Sending an online inquiry or message does not guarantee that it will be reviewed immediately or that a veterinarian will respond within a particular timeframe.

5. Appointments and Online Inquiries

Our website may allow you to contact us, request appointments, or ask questions about our services.

Submitting an appointment request does not necessarily mean that an appointment has been booked or confirmed. An appointment is confirmed only when MVH communicates confirmation through an appropriate channel.

Appointment availability, scheduling, and the services we can provide depend on staffing, equipment, clinical requirements, and other operational considerations.

We reserve the right to contact you to clarify information, propose an alternative appointment time, or advise that a requested service is unavailable.

Any cancellation, rescheduling, or missed-appointment fees will be communicated in accordance with our applicable clinic policies.

6. Veterinary Services and Treatment Decisions

Veterinary services are provided according to the animal's individual needs, the veterinarian's professional judgment, applicable laws, and accepted standards of veterinary practice.

We will make reasonable efforts to explain recommended procedures, treatment options, risks, and anticipated costs when appropriate.

Veterinary medicine involves inherent uncertainties. We cannot guarantee a particular diagnosis, treatment outcome, recovery time, or result.

The care provided may change as additional information becomes available or as an animal's condition develops. Treatment decisions will be discussed with the client as appropriate to the circumstances.

Specific veterinary services may be subject to separate informed-consent requirements, treatment authorizations, estimates, and other clinic documentation.

7. Fees and Payments

Fees for veterinary services, medications, procedures, and other products are subject to change.

Any prices or estimates displayed on our website are for general information unless expressly identified as a confirmed quotation or offer.

Actual charges may vary depending on the animal's condition, diagnostic findings, treatment requirements, medications, supplies, and other circumstances.

Payment terms, deposits, estimates, outstanding balances, and other billing requirements are governed by the applicable arrangements communicated by MVH at the time services are requested or provided.

Nothing in these website terms overrides a separate written agreement or an applicable legal requirement.

8. Client Responsibilities

When contacting MVH or using our website to request services, you agree to:

• Provide information that is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge.

• Ensure that the contact information you provide is current.

• Provide relevant information about your animal's health, medical history, medications, and behaviour when seeking veterinary care.

• Follow applicable appointment instructions and communicate changes or cancellations promptly.

• Use the website lawfully and refrain from attempting to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to the website or its systems.

• Refrain from submitting unlawful, misleading, malicious, or abusive content through our website.

Providing incomplete or inaccurate information may affect our ability to respond to inquiries or provide appropriate veterinary care.

9. Website Availability and Security

We make reasonable efforts to maintain the availability and functionality of our website. However, we do not guarantee that the website will always be accessible, uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components.

Access may be temporarily interrupted for maintenance, technical issues, security reasons, or circumstances beyond our control.

You are responsible for using appropriate security measures when accessing the internet and submitting information online.

10. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise indicated, website content, including text, photographs, graphics, logos, branding, and other materials, belongs to MVH or is used with permission or under an applicable licence.

You may access and use this content for personal, non-commercial purposes.

You may not reproduce, modify, distribute, publish, or commercially exploit website content without prior permission from the applicable rights holder, except where permitted by law.

11. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may contain links to external websites or use third-party services, such as social media platforms, maps, online appointment systems, or payment services.

These websites and services are operated independently of MVH and may be governed by their own terms, conditions, and privacy policies.

We do not control third-party websites and are not responsible for their content, availability, security, or practices.

A link to a third-party website does not necessarily imply endorsement by MVH.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the extent permitted by applicable law, MVH is not responsible for losses or damages arising solely from your use of, or inability to use, this website, reliance on general website information, website interruptions, or the operation of third-party websites.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where doing so would be prohibited by law, or limits any rights or remedies that cannot legally be waived.

These website terms do not replace the professional obligations, standards of care, or legal responsibilities that apply when MVH provides veterinary services.

13. Privacy

Your use of this website is also subject to our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect personal information.

Please review our Privacy Policy before submitting personal information through the website.

14. Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms of Use from time to time to reflect changes in our website, operations, services, or applicable legal requirements.

Updated terms will be posted on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date.

Your continued use of the website after revised terms are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated terms to the extent permitted by law.

15. Governing Law

These Terms of Use are governed by the laws of British Columbia and the applicable laws of Canada.

Any dispute relating to these terms will be addressed in accordance with applicable law.

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply to the extent permitted by law.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms of Use, please contact:

Merritt Veterinary Hospital
Merritt, British Columbia, Canada

Email: merrittvethospital@gmail.com
Telephone: (250) 378-2120
Mailing Address:  PO Box 938, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8