Riverdale Veterinary Group

I don’t know why it is that I always get incarcerated at Xmas time. I can’t even remember what I did this year to get locked up again. Probably something to do with the ‘nip. Anyways, it seems like every year around this time I end up taking a forced ‘vacation’ to someplace horrible. In recent years I had been in a holding facility in Williamsburg, but last time my caretaker bailed me out I was covered in urine and the warden said I had been ‘bad’ and kicked over the water and toilet and peed all over my blanket in protest. I think she was afraid to leave me there again since the jailers seemed unable to handle me.
This year I went to this facility called Riverdale Veterinary Group (which came highly recommended by my new doctor at Inwood Vet). I think it is just a fancy name for a convalescent home or a high end psych ward since it seemed more genteel than the regular lock-​up. As I was being dragged inside howling, I couldn’t help notice a bunch of birds in a cage behind the counter for my lunch, which calmed me considerably. (I really prefer my own canned food though so I didn’t partake). The place didn’t smell too bad, and seemed clean and tidy. The other inmates were interesting. Some kids were play fighting in the lobby and they looked pretty cute. A persistent old bachelor kept trying to climb into my conveyance and lick my ear during checkin. Most of my stay I don’t recall now, probably I was sleeping, then eating, doing personal business, then sleeping again. A slight modification of my usual schedule.
The staff were very nice and kind so I felt no need to pull an Attica. I emerged sleek black coat brushed and shiny and smelling like my own sweet self. Overall, I would rate the accommodations as above average for this sort of place…
via dictation A. c/m.d.

We recently moved from the UWS to Riverdale and I was happy to find this vet so close to our new apartment, perhaps a mere 200 ft away. While the interior may be a bit date, the staff is very nice and loving towards all of the animals that come for a visit
Our dog, Trucker, has had 1 appt. and 2 boarding stays and has been well cared for each time. As I’m writing this I am in Phoenix, and 2x I called regarding Trucker and was given thorough information about his well being and they even offered to give him a bath prior to our arrival home tomorrow. I am grateful they are so kind and so close to home.

This place was very close to me, and I brought my new pup there last week. The staff was extremely helpful and kind, and talked to us for 10 – 15 mins after all the vaccinations were done, just to answer questions and offer training advice.

Never felt comfortable in this place and the head «Vet» (Fried) comes across as sneaky

My experience with this vet group was horrible today. We scheduled an appointment this morning because our dog was limping. They said that Dr. Fried could see us at 12:15 PM. We arrived and the secretary told us that he was backed up and could not see us for another 45 minutes. We were annoyed because she didn’t call us to let us know, but we decided to wait it out.
After waiting for a while, I double checked with her again. She looked up and said, «Actually, you can’t see Dr. Fried until 4 PM today since he doesn’t see anyone from 1 – 4 PM.»
We left and will never go back.

Riverdale Vet Group is one of the last remaining vets in the area and they have organization problems. The veterinarians are not given primary assignment to an animal, and I believe this leads to internal miscommunication. I had a vet tell me that they didn’t know my animal well enough to help me make a decision, yet I had transferred 4 years worth of charts from another state and had visited Riverdale Vet Group 6 times over the past 12 months.
Part of the problem may be attributed a mix of record systems; they have a paper-​based health record and a computer-​based claims /​basic vaccine update system. The day after I had an office visit where my animal got no shots, I received a notice from them saying the animal was due for two shots. Clearly another example of poor data management. Follow-​up after tests and screenings is dismal. They do not initiate the phone call and lack responsiveness when called by the pet owner.
They may be good veterinarians one-​on-​one but given their administrative shortcomings, I would be proactive and designate yourself a vet. I suggest Dr. Toll or Dr. Fried.