Animal Kind Veterinary Hospital

My black lab has been going here for a few years now, and I have always found the doctors to be extraordinarily REAL. If a vaccination wasn't REALLY needed, they would tell me. I have NEVER had them put my dog through unnecessary blood tests of any kind, and I've always found them to be super compassionate. more

I wanted to update my prior review. About a month ago, we had to put my cat to sleep when he was diagnosed with FIP. It was a horrible situation as there is no cure for the disease. He was treated by Dr. Spiegel. I appreciated the mix of compassion and realism she showed for our situation. I also appreciated the way the staff treated us on the day we had to put my cat to sleep. They brought us into a room right away, so we wouldn't have to sit in the lobby and they let us stay in the room after without bothering us even after business hours were over. They sent us a little ceramic print of our cat's paw and made a donation in his honor. I know some of these reviews about Animal Kind are negative because of price. I will be the first to admit they're really expensive and sometimes I find myself going to a clinic for basic vaccines or services like microchipping. But I would rather spend the money knowing that my pets are getting good service more

I've brought both my dog and my cat here a few times and have always had a good experience. The staff and vets have always been respectful and friendly. Once a technician joked that my dog Frankie looked as if he was wearing Zorro's mask because of the pattern of dark spots on his snout, which gave us a good laugh. In all honesty, sometimes I've felt the staff at the reception desk were somewhat unpleasant on the phone, but whenever I'm actually there they are fantastic.My dog Frankie has been seen mostly by Dr. Black who is a very caring and knowledgeable person. We've brought Frankie in for an ear infection and for general check-ups, and found Dr. Black's diagnoses to be spot-on. In case of the ear issue, Frankie was losing hair on his ears and clearly experiencing a lot discomfort, and the treatment prescribed by Dr. Black took care of the problem. I also appreciate that she doesn't try to force us to get unnecessary tests or expensive treatments.Thankfully we've never had to deal with a very serious or life-threatening issue, but given my experience with Animal Kind, I wouldn't hesitate to bring my pets here with a serious condition either. We come here from Manhattan because we've found this clinic to be more reliable and a bit cheaper than the vets in our area. more

I was confused when reading the reviews here, since they seem pretty clearly split between "AK is HORRIBLE, STAY AWAY" and "AK is the best thing since sliced bread." As usual, the truth is somewhere in between, and probably depends on what happened with your pet. I've taken my dog here several times now and have been satisfied by the competence and diagnosis of Dr. Weiss. She is straightforward, professional and knowledgeable. I was able to work with her to troubleshoot over the phone rather than schedule another appointment (we had just been by to see them a few weeks earlier for booster shots and a minor injury). I really appreciated the fact that while they recommended I immediately scheduled a visit, Dr. Weiss was willing to listen and consider having us wait a day to see if there was a change in conditions. I have never used them for an emergency -- yet -- (hopefully never), but judging by the vet and tech attitudes so far, I wouldn't be at all troubled to do so. Some procedures can be surprisingly expensive, and I don't think purchasing medications through them is the cheapest option. They don't offer that you make your own purchases through other vendors, but I'd imagine they would be willing to write out the required prescription if the condition can wait a few days. I was surprised at the bill the first time we visited: a round of booster shots (DHPP) + Bordatella, deworming meds, a stool culture, and an antiseptic solution to clean a cut, an e-collar, + the cost of consultation = $300, but that price is hardly exorbitant. You be the judge. The next visit to treat a minor eye infection = $66, including prescription ointment and consultation. That was a very pleasant surprise, and seemed rather cheap to me. The counter staff, it's true, are varied. One staff member on our first visit almost turned me off completely from ever visiting again -- he seemed completely uncooperative and uninterested. However, another staffer, during the same visit, took a look at our dog's wounded leg and recommended we just wa more

We have tried several vets in the area, but definitely will stay with Animal Kind. My dog walker recommended Dr. Spiegel after we had a bad experience with another local vet. Dr. Spiegel has been attentive and very sweet to our guys. Definitely worth the drive to the Slope. more

I ADORE Dr. Mateyak and am sorry that she's retiring at the end of the year. She's always been able to handle, diagnose and treat my cat who is euphemistically described as "fractious." I find the staff really friendly and knowledgeable. A big plus is that I can communicate with them by email which is better than playing phone tag and being on hold. My only moan is that they're pricey but Dr. Mateyak has been such a lifeline to my little savage that it was worth it. Oh yeah, I LOVE their iMacs! more

I switched over to Animal Kind from another veterinarian's office here in Park Slope that consistently left me with a bad taste in my mouth. No matter what time my dog's appointment was for I would be guaranteed a wait three times as long as the actual time spent in the Vet's presence. I always felt rushed during the visit, and cheated when I would pay and my bill would sometimes be double what I was originally quoted for the visit. This is not the case at Animal Kind, my dog waited only ten minutes to be seen by Dr. Morehead who gave my little dude a rigorous physical (even checked his eyes, which my last vet would always neglect.) Additionally, he did not rush us out, he answered all of my concerns and didn't push any unnecessary drugs or treatment on our pet. At the end of the visit, I was happy to find that the bill was exactly what I was told it would be when I initially made the appointment. So far I have only been to Animal Kind twice, once for an emergency visit for my friends dog who was having some gastrointestinal issues, and today for my little dude. I don't have extensive experience dealing with the clinic, but if my first two encounters here are any indication as to what I should expect in the future, I'd say this place is pretty wonderful. more

I have to be honest. I had *some* reservations coming here after reading the reviews. BUT after hearing my cat, Giorgio, howl on the phone in pain when my boyfriend called to tell me that there was something really wrong with him, we had no choice. I'm glad we went to Animal Kind. Not only is it two doors down from his apartment, but the support staff AND doctors we dealt with went above and beyond to help Giorgio deal w/ a nasty full urinary tract blockage. He was in their hospital for 3 days and 2 nights. We were allowed to visit and the doctor on rotation ALWAYS responded to our phone calls and gave us prompt updates on how he was doing. The hospital stay, etc. ended up being quite a bill, but aren't most medical emergencies? The two vets that we dealt with directly - Dr. Frydenborg and Dr. Werner were great. A few days after his hospital stay, Giorgio was acting funny again (lethargic, etc.) and I made a same-day appt. to see Dr. Frydenborg for a quick checkup. He was partially blocked, but he managed to unblock himself. She prescribed another round of meds to take home and advised against keeping him overnight since she felt another round of sedation and catheter would be too traumatizing for him. He's been fine ever since. I'm planning to move out of the country this summer and Giorgio will definitely be going to Animal Kind for his checkup and shots so he can make the move as well! more

We got our first dog just before new years.  Neither my wife nor I had owned a dog since childhood. On good word of mouth we selected Animal Kind as our Min Pin's vet. I only wish my own doctor was as kind and attentive as Ella's vet. We see Dr. Sondhi and he is always terrific. He remembers where we left off, doesn't rush the exam, and always has time for questions. The tech are great too.  They really love animals and it shows. There's a really great feeling when you walk in and we were "love bombed" when first visited.  Leslie, one of the techs, took what has turned out too be the cutest picture of our pup so far. We did have one issue where some X-rays were sent off to a specialist out of state when we needed them to take to a specialist ourselves, but the test of quality is how problems are resolved and Animal Kind resolved the issue promptly and fairly. more

I just moved to the neighborhood and had no choice but to go to them because I had an emergency and I can't tell you how happy I am that they are my neighborhood vet. I brought my cat in because I thought he had a urinary block (something very expensive to treat) and came to find out, without unnecessary testing or x-rays, that he's just stressed from the move. Dr. Murphy would've had me in and out of there in less than 15 minutes had she not taken the extra time that I was asking for, as a neurotic mom, to give me advice on how to make the adaption to the new place easier for him. I am very happy with them and there were no hidden charges that I'd previously find on my vet bills. more

I just visited this vet for the first time today and had a very pleasant experience. My cat, Oblio, has been suffering from a cold for the past three weeks. Having recently moved to Brooklyn, I did not have any relationships with vets in this area. Thankfully, the many positive reviews on Yelp guided me to this little clinic and I have nothing but good things to say. The office is clean and bright. The staff are very friendly and obviously care a great deal about animals. My appointment was for 12:15, I arrived at noon and was taken back 5 minutes early. Complete blood work and an exam by both the vet and an assistant took only 20 minutes. As far as the price, I found it to be on par with my vet back home in Kentucky. Exam fee is $65. My total came to about $165 for blood work and prescription. Overall, I am very satisfied and will return to Animal kind should the need arise. more

I have never seen a dog want to go to the Vet as much as my bully when we are headed to Animal Kind.  Maybe it's because of the treats he gets or the other doggie scents that await but whatever the case, I'm glad he likes to go.  As for his human...they have great staff, convenient hours and knowledgeable doctors.  It's as simple as that. It's a very professional place that not only cares about your pet but also makes caring for your pet easy. Some people have said AK is on the pricier side but I'll forgo the few Starbucks to have one less hassle in my life and great care for my pooch. This place definitely gets 5 paws :-) more

I love this place. We had been going to another vet who was terrible-- in a nutshell the old vet lacked concern. Our dog Sadie had a serious stomach illness and we made an appointment to take her to the old vet. We were a few minutes late having had to walk through the snow with our sick dog and when we got there the vet had left-- no phone call, no advice as to what to do with our dog who might have a life threatening disease-- nothing. A friend of mine had been going to Animal Kind for years but having read so many negative review, we went elsewhere. When we got back home from our failed attempt to see the old vet, I noticed blood in our dog's stool and, not knowing what else to do-- called Animal Kind. They were amazing. They didn't even know us but stayed on the phone with me and listened as I explained the symptoms. They have an emergency 24 hour service but also said that I could make a Sunday morning appointment and after listening to all of her symptoms said we could likely wait until tomorrow (which would not have an emergency fee). We went the next day and I was extremely impressed with the quality of the care we received. more

We moved to Queens from PS, and we insisted that we drive back to PS to see Dr. Mateyak and Dr. Frydenborg for our 2 cats, who have taken great care of our cats for years. Almost everytime we got stuck in BQE traffic and were late. Nonetheless the wait is always short and reasonable. Dr. Mateyak and Dr. Frydenborg are the most thorough and patient vets we have ever met. Not only they answer your questions thoroughly, I never felt that they force me to make a decision about, say, vaccinating for something that probably can be avoided. In other words, unlike other vets I've been to, they don't force another hundred bucks onto your bill. Now only if my doctor is as patient as they are... Oh and they call you back! And as an avid Mac user, how could I not love a vet who is so tech-savvy and has Mac all over the clinic!? They are organized, and they'd pull up every record you have right there in front of you. No guessing games and no running around checking records. more

You are better, nicer, more affordable than the vets in virginia who seem to just want to get money from you, and not do whats right for your dog. more

While I continue to have a good experience with this clinic, I will continue to update my reviews. I took my dog back to Dr. Black yesterday after many months of being MIA. I was trying other vets (whom Dr. Black recommended after she exhausted all the possibilities with my dog) for allergy testing and all kinds of other things. While the other two vets I tried gave me some different and somewhat useful solutions, I never felt as good with them as I did with Dr. Black and the staff at Animal Kind. First of all, she was SO happy to see my dog that it really did make me feel like she missed her. She went through the history of the last few months with me to get up to date with what's been happening with my dog. She did the things I requested, gave my dog necessary shots to stay up to date, and told me that from here on, she/animal kind should be able to handle the care of my dog's allergies, now that we know what the problems are (mostly allergies) more

I worked at a vet's office in Brooklyn and saw some mighty shameful things happening, so when it was time for my cat to get to the vet, I looked around like a madwoman to find the best one in Brooklyn.  Speaking with friends who had also worked in vet's offices, it is sad but true that many vets re-use supposedly sterile things, have people who were once a vet in Peru but not in the US do surgery to save costs, and beat dogs into submission rather than train them.  I was recommended to Animal Kind from quite a few people, and I can say that I've been nothing but thrilled with their service, cleanliness, and technology.  Sure, vet trips are expensive, but I'd rather pay hefty fees to an establishment that is legit, rather than these shady ass vets scattered around Brooklyn.  I've since moved to Astoria and I'll still make the trip out to Park Slope rather than switch vets. more

I have been taking my cat to this veterinary hospital for three years and love it.  They treat the animals so well, as if they were their own. Dr. Black is competent, knowledgable, skillful and gentle.  They diagnose well and treat even better.  The place is very clean.  The techs are also well trained in handling animals who are scarred and uncomfortable. Everyone is very helpful and nice.  The extended hours are great too. 7 days a week. and open late.  I highly recommend them. Dian C. more

I love Animal Kind. Yes they are expensive, but they have an A+ facility. It's amazing that place. One of the receptionist had kind of an attitude, I can careless about her. I care about the Doctors and the other receptionists are very nice. I brought my cat here because he was urinating blood and come to find out he had kidney stones. It was so bad that he had to stay over two nights. I received a call EVERY DAY from Dr. Black letting me know on my kitty's progress. I have had animals all my life and have NEVER received a call from a vet checking on my pet. The other cool thing is that you can call them any time and leave a message and I swear Dr. Black calls me back within 30 minutes and if I don't answer leaves me a detailed message of what I should do. I was given two options, operation or no operation and of course I selected NO operation because I cannot afford it. Dr. Black gave me a second alternative and thankfully so far my cat is doing great. I need to take him in a few weeks for an x-ray to check if the kidney stone is gone. Let's hope it is. more

My dog has been a patient for many years. I have never had a negative experience: the receptionists are always friendly, as are the vet techs. My dog is a patient of Dr. Salas and we won't see anyone else! She is patient, compassionate, and thorough! What else could you ask for? I would highly recommend Animal Kind. The facility is very clean, they have good hours, moderately priced and above all the veterinarians are knowledgable and well experienced. more