HEALTH & SAFETY

The management of Grand Ave. Pet Hospital is committed to the prevention of occupational illness and injury and the maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment. In achieving this objective, we will meet or exceed all legislative requirements.

In all situations, priority is given to protecting our employees, visitors, and clients from illnesses, injuries, and risks, and preserving materials, assets, and the environment against the risks of fire, damage, and other losses.

By working together collaboratively and given careful attention to the management of health and safety, we will meet out shared objectives of a healthier and safer working environment.

It is the responsibility of manager/supervisor to ensure that safe and healthy work conditions are maintained.

It is the responsibility of employees to work safely and report all unsafe or unhealthy conditions.

It is in the best interest of all parties to consider health and safety in every activity. We are committed to ensuring every reasonable precaution will be taken for the protection of all employees.

DRUG & ALCOHOL

Grand Ave. Pet Hospital is committed to the health and safety of employees, customers and the public. To this end, the management makes every reasonable effort to minimize risks associated with its operations and recognizes that the use of all illicit drugs, and the inappropriate use of alcohol, medications or other substances, can have serious adverse effects on the safety and well-being of employees, customers and the public. The objective of this Policy is to minimize the risk of impaired performance due to substance use.

No employee with an alcohol or drug problem will be disciplined or involuntarily terminated for requesting help in overcoming the problem or because of involvement in a rehabilitation effort. However, if an employee does not meet satisfactory standards of work performance as a result of substance use, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination of employment. Such action cannot be avoided by a request at that time for rehabilitation, or disclosure that the individual is already involved in treatment. This policy does not require and should not result in any exemptions from normal job performance requirements.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Grand Ave. Pet Hospital is committed to providing, in so far as it reasonably can do so within available resources, a safe environment for working and conducting business. Grand Ave. Pet Hospital will not tolerate acts of violence committed by or against its’ employees, or members of the public, while on clinic’s premises or while performing professional veterinary services at client’s premises.

The word violence in the policy shall mean an act or behavior that:

• Is physically assaultive
• A reasonable person would perceive an obsessively directed and reasonably likely to result in harm or threats of harm to persons or property
• Consists of a communicated or reasonably perceived threat to harm another individual or in any way endanger the safety of an individual
• Would be interpreted by a reasonable person as carrying potential for physical harm to the individual
• Is a behavior, or action, that a reasonable person would perceive as menacing
• Involves carrying or displaying weapons, destroying property, or throwing objects in a manner reasonably perceived to be threatening, or
• Consists of a communicated or reasonably perceived threat to destroy property

Violence actions while on Grand Ave. Pet Hospital premises or while performing professional veterinary services at client’s premises, will not be tolerated or ignored. Any unlawful violent actions committed by employees or members of the public will be prosecuted as appropriate. We intend to use reasonable legal, managerial, administrative, and disciplinary procedures to secure the workplace from violence and to reasonably protect employees and members of the public.

PERSONAL HARASSMENT & HUMAN RIGHTS

It is the policy of Grand Ave. Pet Hospital that all employees are entitled to be treated with dignity, free from personal harassment. The practice endeavors at all times to provide a work environment which is supportive of the productivity, personal goals and self-esteem of every employee.

The mutual respect, co-operation and understanding of all employees are necessary to reach this objective.

The practice will not, and employees must not, condone behavior in the workplace that is unacceptable and likely to undermine work relationships and productivity.

Personal harassment based on race, ethnicity, color, religion, age, gender, marital or family status, and disability are all prohibited under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

RABIES

RABIES is a fatal viral disease of all mammals including dogs, cats, livestock and humans. Infected wildlife and unvaccinated animals are the major source of this virus. Wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats pose an ongoing risk of rabies. Following a bite from an infected animal, Rabies virus travel through the central nervous system to the brain, multiplying and eventually developing clinical symptoms. The time it takes for the virus to move and multiply in the Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord) can vary but rabies virus is only shed in saliva towards the end of the infection (usually in the last 10 days when symptoms occur).

1. POTENTIAL HUMAN EXPOSURE:

If an animal has bitten or scratched a human, the incident must be reported to the local public health unit. The Health Unit will investigate these potential exposures to ensure the victim is not at risk of developing rabies.

Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit T: 519-355-1071 Monday to Friday 8:30AM-4:30PM OR AFTER HOURS 1-866-446-8207

CK Public Health will assess the risk of rabies transmission the incident may have presented. This assessment may involve quarantining the animal, sending the animal for rabies testing or providing the victim with prophylaxis and immunization against rabies, without delay.

2. POTENTIAL DOMESTIC ANIMAL EXPOSURE:

If a potential rabies exposure to a domestic animal occurred with no human exposure, consult the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) at 1-877-424-1300. OMAFRA will provide you with information on post exposure requirements for the animals involved and can assist with the decision to test the animals involved.

3. WILD TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL WITH NO HUMAN OR ANIMAL EXPOSURE

Report wild terrestrial animals that are suspected of having rabies to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's (MNRF) Rabies Hotline 1-888-574-6656.

4. SICK/DEAD BAT WITH NO HUMAN OR ANIMAL EXPOSURE

Report sick or dead bats that are suspected of having rabies to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative at 1-866-673-4781

For more information visit provincial website: Rabies in pets | ontario.ca

PRIVACY POLICY

Our practice recognizes the importance of protecting the personal privacy of both our clients and patients and those individuals who simply visit our site.

We do not lend/transfer any private information to any third-party vendors or internet businesses.

We take appropriate security measures to protect against unauthorized access to or unauthorized alteration, disclosure or destruction of data. These include internal reviews of our data collection, storage and processing practices and security measures, as well as physical security measures to guard against unauthorized access to systems where we store personal data.

TERMINATION OF VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP (VCPR)

 VCPR would be ceased/terminated if any of the following occurs:

1. Upon getting patient’s record transfer request from another veterinary practice;

2. Upon your request for such transfer.

Once such a transfer request entertained, we will not take back that client/patient to our practice.

* This policy does not apply to 1) record transfers for referral purposes and to 2) Windsor-Essex Humane Society for sterilization surgeries.