I had been taking my cats here for many years. Now I admit, somewhere in mid 2024, some of the front desk staff (Joanne specifically) were less than great and that caused me to go elsewhere until January of 2026. Since returning there in January 2026, the front desk staff has become SO MUCH BETTER overall. Joanne is no longer there (thank God!) AND the vet techs and veterinarians have always been amazing since day one! I, along with my fur babies are thrilled to be back. read more

See all

Lily is 11 year old with several chronic health challenges and I took her for a second opinion with Dr. Stephenson after not being very satisfied with our long time veterinary hospital downtown Charleston, WV. It was a difficult decision to make the switch but after meeting with Dr. Sarah and going over everything, I came to the conclusion that she was our answer to get this girl back on track and take care of all the issues. We are so pleased with Dr. Sarah and her entire staff for taking great care of our sweet Lily. Very happy to recommend to everyone. read more

Good Shepherd Veterinary Hospital - Lily going to see Dr. Sarah Stephenson. - Veterinarians Near Me - Charleston, West Virginia

literally saved my dogs life, jumped right into action kept me updated the whole time. always take the time to answer my questions. When I left a message for Dr Stephenson she called me back personally and promptly. read more

Sara was always good with Samson. She said he had good ears and that made Sammy Happy read more

See all

I have been with Good Shepherd since the 1980's, primarily seeing either Dr. Sara or Dr. Allison. I currently have two dogs, one of which is almost 16 years old so I am at Good Shepherd multiple times a year trying to ensure my older dog Holly is taken care when issues arrive. Holly is almost deaf, only sees shadows, has pretty significant arthritis, significant life long skin issues, a very sensitive stomach that requires a special diet, dry eye, likely has cushings disease (has not been tested yet), and wears a diaper most of the time but she still has alot of life in her and still gets around relatively well for her age. I see Dr. Sara most of the time since she is very familiar with Holly's history and am very satisfied with the care my dogs have received over the years. What I struggle with and am not satisfied with is some of the office staff, especially those working at the front desk. I understand that sometimes the staff gets busy and need to put the client on hold but anymore it seems to be a reoccurring issue. I called on 4/23/2025 and asked if it would be possible to talk to one of the staff that orders prescription meds regarding the availabilty of getting a larger amount for a ear drop my older dog takes. I sat on the phone for well over 10 minutes waiting for someone to get back to me. The phone finally disconnected. I consider that to be very unprofessional. The staff that originally answered the phone basically forgot about me. This unfortunately has occurred multiple times over the last several years, where I have attempted to contact someone and either get hung up on or if I am able to leave a message I don't get a call back. I do not blame the vets - it is some of the office staff. Some downright have lied to me when I attempted to connect with a vet tech while Dr. Sara was in Ukraine in 2025. Dr. Sara told me that if Holly's condition worsened while she was away to contact one of her vet techs. Holly had been placed on pain medication about a week before Dr. Sara left for Ukraine and the medication caused my dog to get severely constipated. She was bent over in pain and wimpering for several days and it took me almost three days of calling for someone to get back to me. Although I cannot prove it, I truly believe the front desk dropped the ball and did not adequately communicate my concern to Dr. Sara's vet techs. Dr. Sara's vet techs are very caring, compassionate and professional so I truly question what dialogue actually occurred between the front desk and the vet techs. While waiting for someone to return my call I took matters in my own hands and gave my dog some pumpkin at the advice of a friend. I gave her too much and she went from impacted stool to very runny diarrhea. I was changing her diaper every other hour and her bottom was very red and inflamed for about 2 days. Yes constipation and diarrhea are typically very minor issues but when you are dealing with an almost 16 year old dog minor problems can become major issues very quickly. I will still stay with Good Shepherd because I trust the care my dogs receive from Dr. Sara and Dr. Allison. read more

All the horror stories you hear about good Shepherd are true. I took my dog there for an ear infection and was recommended treatment and medication by Dr. Ali when I went to the front desk, they refused to give me the medication that dr Ali recommended and then recommended that I see Dr. Sarah instead because she think my dog has allergies. Dr. Allie said she had no concern about allergies because her problem wouldn't be isolated but generalized--they literally just wanted me to come back in to see another doctor for another opinion so that I could spend more money with them. I also took my other dog there prior to this appointment where I spent $1000 and she died a couple days later they never called to check on her treatment or how she was doing with it but they sure remembered to give me a call after she died to collect money THEY FORGOT to charge me when I was in the office for an x-ray. I called and asked for the office manager, she calls me acting "nasty" very confused saying they couldn't give me a medication (that I never asked for(Claro)) or the medication the Dr recommended I use. She told me Dr Sara wants me to bring my doc back in for another medication for dogs with allergies "per the OM" in which I returned with asking how/who has come up with the conclusion that my dog had allergies since Dr. Sarah had never seen her before. She got nasty with me and told me Dr. Sarah would just have to give me a call back and that Dr. Allie would give me a call back when she returned to the office two weeks later. I give them a call back and they say they have just dismissed me as a patient and completely abandoned her ACTIVE treatment INFECTION Because of a clerical error on THEIR PART. April argued with me and said she was present for the conversation and I was being rude and hung up which never happened and I told her that I have all the calls recorded and would be more than happy to share them with Dr Sara so she would know how her staff is truly handling these types of situations in which she replied "that's your "prerogative. And hung up lol. The nastiest bunch of girls working there with these amazing doctors just throwing their names in the dirt is A SHAME. please please please never bring an animal that you love to good Shepherd animal Hospital. I spoke with April & Mel. read more

I brought my 4 y.o. Border Collie in today after he got bit on the face this weekend. The team was able to squeeze him in their busy schedule and were very gentle with him, as he was scared. The Dr. and team reassured me and worked with me as well, as I was a nervous wreck (internally) and they were affordable. I went ahead and scheduled a spaying for my other pup cause this place feels right, ya know? read more

Thank you Dr Sarah and your awesome staff for taking such great care of our little cat Willow! Willow had a suspicious growth on her side, which Dr Sarah expertly removed. Pathology showed it was cancerous, but Dr Sarah removed it all taking care to insure clean margins. It hadn't spread or invaded her blood, so her prognosis is good! We're so grateful! read more

The only reason we used Good Shepherd Veterinary Hospital to board my aging Bichon Frise is because my usual kennel, Cross Lanes Boarding Kennel was booked and this was a last minute getaway. The problem with Good Shepherd is they only have pick up times between 9am to 12pm with no Sunday pick up. I'd like to know who that is convenient for! So no Sunday pick up so, they can charge you for another day. Then add the holiday weekend in there and I couldn't get my boy until Tuesday. As I reviewed my receipt I noticed I was charged for 5 and 1/2 days. What is the half day fee? I picked my dog up between the given hours. I do not recommend them because like so many other kennels we have tried before finding our great one just nickel and dime you too death. PS...My fella now has a sore right front leg so, there is another fee to take him to his Veterinarian to make sure it isn't serious. read more

This is my dog after taking her to this awful place. They failed to rinse the soap out of her hair and therefore she sustained a dangerous infection requiring multiple treatments and medications. They are rude and uncaring. Please do not take your beloved animals to this facility. read more

Good Shepherd Veterinary Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Charleston, West Virginia

We love this place. we take are there guinepigs here and they are nothing but kind. everyone there is so friendly and welcoming! love this place read more

I can't remember the woman vet's name, but judging from the other reviews, it was likely Sarah S. I took my cat in for a routine exam, and the vet gave me super generic advice and treatment. When I asked for more specifics, she could barely contain her disgust with me, and when she left the exam room, slammed the door and yelled, "I WISH IT WAS FRIDAY." Whichever vet this is needs to accept that when you're treating animals, the *customer* is actually the person you're working with and maybe get some additional training on socialization and human interactions. The front desk staff and other staff were fine, but this vet acted like a weird brat. As we paid and left, I asked the front desk staffer to please let the vet know that I, too, wished it was Friday, and she didn't have to worry about us coming back. We've gone to Valley West ever since and are treated great there along with stellar treatment of our fur babies. read more

I spoke with a super amazing lady when I went in to make an appointment. Then when I called with a question that didn't seem that unreasonable the woman I spoke with just hateful. Very demeaning. read more

I used to be satisfied with my dog's level of care but was not happy at all in the last visit. I booked an appointment for a regular annual vaccine for my dog at 4:00 pm and I arrived on time. I called while I am waiting in my car as instructed and I've been told that I will be informed once they are ready for me. 45 minutes later nobody called so i left. While waiting, I saw multiple owners going in and out with their dogs although they arrived after me. Finally, when they called and I told them that I left because they kept me waiting for long, they said ok!! That is not how a business maintains a good relationship with customers. read more

Had friends bring pets here without issue, so second star. I have a spec needs pet that takes a controlled med for seizures. When I first transferred to GS they re-precribed for another use with a diff dosage scale. Thankfully previously hosp renewed her meds because it was a couple weeks before GS would correct and it ran out. Today I called for a refill but was refused since pet hadn't been seen in awhile, no appt for a week. I asked why this wasn't brought up when I called for the last refill, I only got "idk". Probably an okay place if you're sure nothing is wrong with your pets, but can't risk bringing mine back. read more

So much care and concern for my furry friends. Not a bad vet there and the technicians are the best.

Super small play area for dogs at Good Shepherd, who are there for day care. They do not watch the dogs closely either at Good Shepherd. You do not want to take your dogs to Good Shepherd for day care. House of Hounds is so much better, dogs watched very closely. read more

We called Good Shepard in a crisis. Our regular vet was closed and our precious 17 year old cat was suffering beyond belief. They understood that the situation was dire, emotional, and difficult. Without hesitation, the vet offered for us to come by as soon as possible. Sadness consumed us. The team at Good Shepard was sensitive, understanding, and professional. They guided and assisted us on this very difficult day with great kindness as our furry child was at the end of her life. I recently received a card from them in the mail. It was a kind gesture and appreciated. Thank you read more

The only reason I tagged on an extra star rather than just 1 star is that one of the doctors here is fabulous. If you can ensure that your pet will only get sick on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday by all means go to Good Shepherd & see Dr. Allison Blanton, if you are unfortunate enough to have to see Dr. Sarah Stephenson just go somewhere else. I have now seen Dr. Stephenson 3 times & the combined time still does not equal the amount of time Dr. Blanton spent with us. Dr. Stephenson barely spoke to us, didn't really listen to our questions, & was walking out the door while we were still speaking to her. What finally made me decide to find a new vet was when when they told me they gave my puppy an anti nausea shot, confirmed multiple times that they gave it to her-- but when I called them from home bc she had thrown up again, they said they never gave it to her. What exactly were they doing back there with her if not administering the medication like they said? I had to go back up there to have them finally give her the meds. This time I refused to leave my pups side though. read more

We've trusted Good Shepherd Veterinary Hospital and taken our animals there for years. We've spent thousands of dollars there. Only recently did we change to a smaller vet because we could no longer afford their outrageous prices. We only went there this time because of the convenience of the location. We just took a dog that we took in from a bad situation to get neutered, and they called and told us that they could not proceed with the neuter without performing an EKG, at a minimum, which cost $300. We went to pick him up this evening and asked to speak to the vet about the condition to understand what was going on, what treatment options we had, and we could do to improve it. The new young male veterinarian refused to speak with us about the condition whatsoever saying we had to have this test done before they would even speak to us. At this point, I was in disbelief at this obvious deflection, so we asked to pay and leave. It was then that we were told it would be $118. Keep in mind that the only service we requested that was actually performed was that we were given a dewormer. The blood work was not requested or authorized. Though I understand why it was done, we should have been informed that a $95 procedure was going to be performed on our pet. Even though it was unexpected, I still would have been ok with paying for it if someone would have just discussed the results with me instead of brushing me off unless I paid for more tests. We didn't want something for free, we wanted someone to inform us about what was going on with our new pet, schedule rechecks (because the condition was curable), etc. The customer service has degraded at this establishment, meanwhile the prices have gone through the roof. I would give the Good Shepherd from 2-3 years ago a 5 star review. This is in no way the same establishment it used to be. Now they're money-hungry and provide poor customer service. I wonder if there is truly even anything wrong, of if they just wanted us to pay for these additional tests. I no longer trust them, andWl we will not be back. read more

This place let my friends dog slip off leash and didn't search for her. They were too interested in taking care of the vets dog who also got lose but they found. My friends dog was hit by a train 3 Days later and the vet took no responsibility till she was force to by the community. Do not take your dog there you may never see it again Shame on this place justice for fur baby Shiloh may she rip!!!! With no help from this clinic.!!!! . read more

They take the time to listen to what you have to say about your pet and try to figure out what's going on. I like that they help so many animals including wild animals. read more

These are the rudest people I've ever met, I called a friend to meet up with me at this location (because it was somewhat easy to find) he was on his way to travel up north, he came from out of state and we hadn't saw each other in years & some older man who was carrying a opossum in a basket into the doors of the building came back outside after dropping the rodent off inside of the building & proceeded to ask us if we had an animal inside the building and we said no and explained that we met there because it was easy to find considering my buddy is not familiar with the area so he told us we need to "get the hell off the property" or they were gonna have our vehicles towed, it was offensive and rude. read more

Update: When we were still with Good Shepherd, one of our pups had a "cyst" on her side. We brought her in to get it checked and the vet looked at it for a second and said basically "It's just a cyst. It'll be ok." That was the extent of the medical examination we brought her in for. Since we left Good Shepherd, her new vet told us that we need to get the "cyst" checked. We scheduled the surgery and they ended up cutting a lot more out than they expected. It turns out that the "cyst" was cancer. Good Shepherd's neglectful practices almost cost our pup her life, and would have robbed us of the joy of having her in ours. read more

Good quality service and friendly staff. Professional care and qualified doctors. Love this place!

I was on yelp today looking for a new groomer and I was so shocked when I ran across this account for Good Shepherd.... My pets have been patients of Dr. Sarah Stephenson's since she graduated vet school in the early nineties. I went to numerous vets all of the Kanawha Valley before I ran into Sarah and I have been a loyal client since... she is a brilliant doctor... she is extremely thorough in her examinations and evaluations of my pets... but she also loves animals and it's completely evident in the way she cares for them and her clients... she hugs and kisses them and her eyes tear up when one has to be put to sleep... I trust her 100% to take care of my fur babies and I have recommended her to several friends who are now clients... it's unfortunate that there aren't more positive reviews... read more

Outstanding and caring vet Sarah Stephenson. Great diagnostian who has cared for my dogs for many years. read more

Don't use these people. They will give you a price and when you go to pay you're Bill they will charge you for things you didn't ask for them to do. Well today is the last time you will screw me over. Do yourself a favor and take your animals somewhere else. read more

If I could give less stars I would.... Be careful who you trust you furbaby with, this facility is overpriced and negligent. A puppy recently died while in their care.... Missing for 3 days and found on the train tracks dead from be hit face first by a train.... Routine spay turned into a nightmare because of their negligence!! " read more

I've always had very positive experiences with Dr. Sarah and Dr. Blanton. They provide education and information so I can better take care of my shibas. I highly recommend them both. read more

I would not consider going to any other veterinarian. Dr. Sarah has treated our dogs and our cats for nearly 17 years. She even cared for our son's iguana several years ago. She medicated them when they were sick, and cried with us when they were euthanized. I cannot think of another veterinarian with the love of the patient and the owner in mind. We recently took our cat, Dusty, in there with a limp. Immediately Sarah knew how to treat her. Dr. Fleming is another veterinarian with a heart of gold. He also loves our animals as if they were his. Every member of the staff has compassion, care and knowledge suitable to take care of our pets. We wholeheartedly recommend Good Shepherd Veterinary hospital for your pet needs. read more

I'm shocked and disgusted to learn that a beautiful 6month old pup named Shiloh was released on a pee BREAK by a "tech" at this vet's office. She was only there to be spayed. She was lost for three days while medicated and DESTROYED by a TRAIN!! The office has only responded in an effort to minimize responsibility without even an APOLOGY! I can only imagine the PAIN her owner has experienced! This ENTIRE incident is INEXCUSABLE!! Something MUST be done to make this VET responsible for this negligence and cruelty! read more

I have been a client for over 15 years , and in any emergency they will see you. Sarah even stayed over because I rushed in because my dog had been hit by a car. I've taken in strays who have been hurt , just walking in and they have always seen me. The staff are wonderful and caring. Nothing negative to say about any of them. read more

When Paul was there I would've given 10 stars! Recently my dog was hit by a car and these folks treated me as if I was a low life worthy of no respect. They were all rude, condescending, argumentative, and ultimately neglectful of my best friend. They lack communication which really caused a ton of confusion amongst everyone involved and Sarah is down right rude! To top off all the negative after spending 3,000$ hospitalizing my buddy; just before leaving they made a big deal about the importance of keeping his bandages clean and dry. Well, he had an accident and peed inside then walked right through it soiling his freshly bandaged legs (bandaged after surgery with open wounds) when asked nicely to please check the bandages they refused to look and said well maybe you shouldn't have encouraged him to walk through it. Then slammed the door as they walked away. Really!!!!! Never would anyone encourage their loved one to place fresh surgical wounds in urine. Also, we hadn't even left yet. I could understand if we had left and come back. I would even expect to have to pay a little extra. But he hadn't even left their care yet and that's how they reacted. I don't know what happened to this place but I would seriously reconsider using them. I don't like to give bad reviews at all. But, this had to of been the worst experience I've ever had with a business. They, as real doctors are upheld to a standard of care and these folks have failed miserably. read more

Overall, I was very pleased with the actual care that my pet was provided, and that's what is most important. However, I find their general business practices to be extremely disappointing. I was quoted a maximum of $300 for a dental cleaning/extractions. By the time I left, I was out nearly $700. This seems to be common practice at Good Shepard. I won't be back. I prefer to take my dog to a vet that operates with more integrity when it comes to pricing and business practices. read more

I would have given them 5 stars about six years ago but something changed. I used to get the utmost service and now, the last two times I took my dog, I have waited two hours in a room with no one to come in and let me know there was an issue in scheduling, and the last time, I was in a room for an hour with no one to come in and say it will be a few more minutes or anything. I opened the door and they passed by like we were not even there. I was told to put my dog on grain-free food for the last two years or longer because he had allergies. They would give him a shot or meds and then I was back in three months, same issues. The vet kept telling me I have to keep him on a completely grain free diet. I was!!!!! Never took blood work or anything else to see if a thyroid problem existed. I kept telling the vet, it's not all the food, its the environment and he needs to take an allergy pill or something everyday. Still, you have to keep him on a grain-free diet. Again, I was!!! Now, I find out through another vet that grain-free food has been linked to several cases of heart issues in pets. (Thanks!) This new vet explained to me how it is not the grains that cause allergies but the protein. My boy is now on a daily medication for allergies and regular food and so far, is doing good. I hope the two years I was told and stressed to keep him on grain-free did not do damage to his heart. I am not trying to discourage anyone from going to Good Shepherd. I hope that my comments help them improve whatever went wrong about three years ago. read more

If you care about your pets, DO NOT TAKE THEM HERE!!! In early Apr. 2018, we noticed that our cat Vvoyd wasn't being himself. He was having trouble eating on his own, and began sleeping more than usual. On Apr. 3rd we decided to take him to a nearby vet called Good Shepard Veterinary Hospital (Charleston, WV 25304) to hopefully have him treated for this unknown ailment. The name of the Doctor that saw him is Allison R. Blanton. My fiancée Ashley explained each of Vvoyd's symptoms - including loss of appetite, lethargy, runny nose, weight loss, and drowsiness among others - Dr. Blanton then diagnosed him with "a minor respiratory infection" and prescribed feline amoxicillin. She failed to run any blood or stool tests, and did not even acknowledge Vvoyd's constant lethargy as he was struggling to even stand on his own and was nearly falling off of the examination table. After confirming that feline respiratory infection is contagious, Ashley expressed to Dr. Blanton that she did not believe this was a proper diagnosis, as our other 3 cats remained unchanged, and even suggested to Dr. Blanton that they keep Vvoyd overnight to further examine him, however Dr. Blanton declined this request, and ensured Ashley to trust in her professional medical opinion. Five days later on Apr. 8th, Ashley called the vet to tell them that Vvoyd's health didn't seem to be improving. Dr. Blanton instructed to continue the antibiotics anyways, and as a result, he passed away around 2am on Thursday morning Apr. 12th in Ashley's arms, and we are completely devastated, as are his mother, father, and brother whom all remain healthy, further debunking this false diagnosis. I feel that this death is solely the cause of a misdiagnosis at the hands of Dr. Blanton, and that the death of my poor Vvoyd could have been prevented if only he received proper treatment. These people lack compassion for the pets they see, and they do not care about your opinions and concerns for your pet. They will do their best at finding the most costly method to charge you for medicine and products your pet does not need. Dr. Blanton was more concerned with taking my money, than saving Vvoyd's life, and that is an outrage as well as a travesty. His death was completely preventable, yet the corruption that plagues America's medical industry has claimed the life of yet another victim. read more