My experience at Colonial Animal Hospital in Locust was, by far, the worst in terms of customer service and compassion. The front desk staff, particularly the woman I spoke with at 7:00 a.m. on 3/26/2025, was just as rude and indifferent as many other reviews have described. My dog had been a patient of Dr. Barker for over six years, but in the last two, this clinic has declined sharply.
Today, my mom faced the heartbreaking decision to put our beloved 14-year-old Boston Terrier to sleep. When she called yesterday to request an emergency appointment, she was told the earliest available slot was three days away and advised to take him to the Kannapolis emergency vet in the meantime--and then told not to call back. There was no urgency, no compassion--just complete disregard for the situation. As his condition worsened, I called again this morning on my mom's behalf, hoping to secure an earlier appointment.
After requesting an emergency visit, the woman at the front desk coldly asked, "Who is this for?"--as if she was deciding which pets were worth seeing. In that moment, it felt like they had completely turned their backs on us when we needed them most. When I pressed for an earlier appointment, she rudely stated they had openings between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m., but it was first come, first served--offering no guarantee of care.
I explained our circumstances, hoping for at least some understand or compassion, but all I received was indifference. No sympathy, no effort to accommodate--just a dismissive attitude that made it clear my dog's life didn't matter to them. After years of loyalty to this clinic, it was devastating to realize that when it truly counted, they simply did not care.
Let me be clear: you will receive no empathy from this staff. What should have been a moment of kindness and care was instead made even more painful by their unprofessionalism and coldness. There was no warmth, no reassurance--just a rushed, impersonal process that left us feeling like an inconvenience. That's why we took him elsewhere, where he was treated with the dignity and compassion he deserved in his final moments.
We are heartbroken, and instead of support during one of the hardest moments a pet owner can face, we were met with indifference. It is beyond disappointing to see what this clinic has become--and even more unacceptable that Dr. Barker has allowed such awful behavior to continue for years. If you truly love your pets and want them cared for by a team that values their well-being, I strongly urge you to go elsewhere. No one should have to endure what we went through today. read more