Academy West Animal Hospital Boarding & Grooming

Took my new pup in today for initial visit. While waiting at the front desk I literally watched a young blonde groomer shove a large golden retriever several times. This «groomer» was sitting down on the floor while attempting to shave this very large dog by herself. She was visually stressed and hostile towards the dog. I informed the front desk staff who quickly let me know they were separate and gave the distinct impression it was not there problem. I then asked to speak with the Manager. While I was waiting I continued to watch the groomer be aggressive towards this dog and no one in the salon or vet office tried stopping it. The manager acknowledged this is a new groomer and appreciated the feed back. I asked her if they video tape and she stated they did. I asked her to watch the past 20 minutes and she agreed. Hopefully she did. The veterinary care we received was OK at best. The vet was in and out in literally 2 minutes. He administered a rabies vaccine without even asking. The only redeeming thing about this clinic was Freddy– Vet Tech. When I told Freddy what I had witnessed at the front desk he acknowledged this groomer «can be a little rough.» He did a more thorough assessment on my pup then the vet and spent far more time. Overall I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone!

Unexpected travel plans
I had a death in the family and had to leave town ASAP. Our beloved buddy of 8 years has always traveled with us. From coast to coast, we always book hotels that accomodate pets so we can have him w/​us. He was traumatized as a puppy (our home was broken into) — so he’s ‘special’, his fear of strangers and other dogs is quite strong so we have to ask that he be handled in an isolated manner.. I went to several $$$ pet resorts and they couldn’t give him that.
When I went to Academy West they gave me the tour, now, grant it– the place is not an über-​shiney– pet resort, its pretty bare– bones– but they have a Vet on staff and a good system in place for customized feeding, potty time & play time… and they give their guests individual outdoor run/​play time, for a good $.
I was a complete bundle of nerves letting him go in for a weekend! The staff was pleasant to work with and they tolerated my worried-​ness and took care of my ‘special’ buddy. For that, I’d use Academy West Animal Hospital Boarding & Grooming again.

I have been looking all over the Glendale/​Peoria area for a groomer that I like. Since moving to Arizona, groomers have told me that my dog is too difficult to groom or give other excuses for not delivering on their product. Academy West Animal Hospital was the first successful grooming experience my dog has had in nearly a year! They did a fantastic job with him. They kept him calm the whole time, even during his shots! I especially liked that he wasn’t caged afterwards– they call right away so you can pick up your dog before any he or she has to wait. My little man finds cages to be extremely traumatizing so that was great news for us. I will definitely bring him back in the future!

I have not experienced worst customer service than the way academy west handled my situation. Be aware coming here, they appear nice if there ends up being no issues with their work. If you encounter an issue (cut while grooming) they assume no responsibility. I had been taking my dog there for a long time to get groomed, everything was good. The last time I took him they cut his rear end, I did not think it was a big deal so I let it pass, however upon being home for a few days, it started bleeding extensively. I reached out to them for help and they turned their back on me, they told me I was held responsible because I waited a week and need to cover full cost. They even tried to deny the cut. It would be a little more reasonable for them to try to deny fault if I demanded my money back, but I just wanted my dog to be seen. Thank you for reading, if you do choose academy west I hope there are no issues with your pet, because they won’t accept fault.

I took my cat to Academy West when my regular vet wasn’t in. Dr. Kimmel is very friendly, easy to talk to, and he made me feel welcome there. He diagnosed and successfully treated my cat. My cat needed 3 different medications, and one of the medications he did not charge for. That was really nice of him. I really appreciate that he gave me plenty of instructions for the at-​home care of the cat — feeding, etc.
My only complaint was the lack of follow-​up. My cat was very sick and there was no follow-​up phone call to ask how the cat was doing. The vet did not mention that I could call if I had questions or concerns. At the animal hospital I normally take my cats to, they often follow-​up with a phone call after a visit, and the vet always says to call if I have questions.
Overall, though, this is one of the better animal hospitals that I have taken my cats to.

I wish I would’ve found them sooner. If you are like me, your «pet» is not a pet, but your family. When my Kaysee became sick, I took her to Banfield just up the street from these guys. Don’t do that. The staff here were really quick & kind when I called about letting my fur baby go. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lymphatic cancer & her legs and other parts of her body began to swell. She was so kind hearted & strong willed that she wouldn’t give up despite her condition. She was so frail, she hardly looked like the same dog. Kaysee was my companion for 12 years. I already miss her, but am glad she is not in pain and finally at peace. It was one of the most emotionally traumatic experiences of my life hearing her Unilocal and scream, but I knew she was scared more than anything else when she was injected. I wish I would have taken her here initially so that I would have been given more direction as to when to truly let go. Banfield never said she is in pain and not to prolong it. They took $ 800+ for tests & pain meds. They just wanted to keep pumping her with medications.
Again, wish I would have found these guys sooner. The vet there is a really really nice guy.
Did not talk in circles like Banfield’s vet. He was clear, concise, and tried to be as accommodating as one could be in that situation. I am going through tough financial times, but did not want to have her dumped in a landfill. I chose to pay for a group cremation which was $ 65. The whole process was about $ 170.00 for the office visit, euthanasia, and mass cremation. I’m happy to eat bologna sandwiches everyday so Kaysee didn’t have to suffer anymore.
My heart is so sad but Im thankful that Kaysee isn’t struggling to hang on.

We’ve been using this place since we moved to the area a year ago, and love their service and attitude. Everyone is welcoming and very friendly to both the dogs and the humans. Even though it’s a bit farther for us than a few other vets, we’ll keep going here for the quality. Pricing is fair and reasonable.