RiverCare — Monthly Pet Health Plan

RiverCare is Riverside Veterinary Clinic's own monthly subscription plan. It spreads the cost of routine, predictable care across the year instead of landing it all in one visit, and it includes discounts on the things that are not predictable.

RiverCare is not pet insurance. It covers preventative and routine care that we know your pet will need. It does not pay for accidents, illness or surgery. Many of our clients hold RiverCare for routine care and a separate pet insurance policy for the unexpected — the two work well together, and RiverCare discounts apply to the portion an insurer does not cover.

Tiers and pricing

Multi-pet discount: 10 per cent off each additional pet on the same plan, applied to the lower-priced plans.

Pets move to the next tier automatically at the relevant birthday. We will tell you a month beforehand.

What is included

RiverCare Core — adult dogs and cats ($46 / month)

Included at no extra cost

• Two veterinary health-check consultations per year
• Annual vaccination — C5 plus leptospirosis for dogs, or F3 plus FIV for cats
• Twelve months of flea and intestinal worm prevention, supplied monthly
• Unlimited nurse consultations — weight, nutrition, dental coaching
• Unlimited nail trims
• Annual dental examination and a written dental assessment
• One annual blood and urine screen
• Microchip implant, if not already chipped, plus NZ Companion Animal Register lodgement and council registration paperwork
• Free insurance claim processing
• SMS and email reminders for everything due
• Priority booking — a reserved same-day urgent slot each weekday

Discounts on everything else

• 20 per cent off dental scale and polish, and dental extractions
• 15 per cent off desexing
• 15 per cent off all other consultations, including after-hours consultation fees
• 10 per cent off surgery, radiographs, ultrasound and in-house pathology
• 10 per cent off prescription diets and medications
• No missed-appointment fees

RiverCare Kit — puppies and kittens ($39 / month)

Everything in Core, plus:

• The full puppy or kitten vaccination course, including all consultations
• Fortnightly worming doses through the growth period
• A place in puppy preschool
• Two extra growth-and-development checks
• 20 per cent off desexing, instead of 15 per cent

RiverCare Senior ($62 / month)

Everything in Core, plus:

• Four health-check consultations per year instead of two
• Two blood and urine screens per year instead of one
• Annual blood pressure measurement
• Annual thyroid check for cats
• Arthritis assessment and mobility scoring twice yearly
• One course of monthly arthritis injections per year, if prescribed
• 20 per cent off all consultations, instead of 15 per cent

RiverCare Small — rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets ($24 / month)

• Two health-check consultations per year
• RHDV1-K5 rabbit calicivirus vaccination, at the interval we recommend
• Rabbit-safe parasite prevention, supplied
• Unlimited nail trims and dental examinations
• Annual diet and housing review with the nurse
• 15 per cent off consultations and procedures
• 10 per cent off hay, pellets and prescription diets

What is not covered

RiverCare does not cover:

• Treatment for accidents, injury or illness of any kind
• Surgery, including desexing (discounted only, not included)
• Dental procedures beyond the examination (discounted only)
• Hospitalisation, intravenous fluids or anaesthesia
• Medications beyond the parasite prevention listed in your tier
• Referral to Palmerston North specialists, or emergency centre fees
• Euthanasia, cremation or home visits
• Non-prescription retail products, toys and accessories
• Anything for a pet not named on the plan

If cover for illness and injury is what you are after, you want pet insurance, not RiverCare. We are happy to explain the difference at any appointment, and we do not receive commission from any insurer.

How it works

1. Sign up at reception, or ask us to email you the form. Sign-up takes about ten minutes.
2. We take your pet's details and set up a monthly direct debit from a bank account or card.
3. Benefits start immediately, except vaccinations and the annual blood screen, which have a 30-day waiting period for new members.
4. Your first payment is taken on the day you join, then on the same date each month.
5. Bring your pet in whenever something on the list is due. There are no claim forms and nothing to pay for included items.

Terms

• Minimum term: 12 months. After that, the plan continues month to month.
• Cancelling within the first 12 months: we work out the retail value of the services you have already used, subtract what you have paid, and invoice the difference if there is one. If you have used less than you have paid, there is no refund.
• Cancelling after 12 months: 30 days' notice, no exit fee.
• Cooling off: cancel within 14 days of joining for a full refund, provided no included services have been used.
• Missed payments: we will contact you and try again in 7 days. Benefits pause after two consecutive missed payments and resume once the account is current.
• Transfers: the plan covers one named pet and cannot be transferred to another animal.
• If your pet dies: the plan ends immediately at no cost, and any payment taken in that month is refunded.
• Moving away: we will cancel without penalty if you move more than 100 km from Marlow Bend.
• Price changes: prices are reviewed each July. Existing members are given 60 days' notice and hold the old price until their next anniversary.
• Unused benefits do not roll over into the following year.

Common questions

Is RiverCare pet insurance? No. It is a payment plan for routine and preventative care at our clinic. It pays nothing towards illness or accidents.

Can I use it at another vet? No. RiverCare benefits apply only at Riverside Veterinary Clinic.

Does it cover after-hours emergencies? The call-out fee is not covered, but the consultation fee is discounted by 15 per cent for Core and Kit members and 20 per cent for Senior members. Treatment costs are discounted at 10 per cent.

Is it cheaper than paying as I go? For a healthy adult dog having an annual vaccination, two health checks, year-round parasite prevention and one blood screen, paying separately comes to roughly $620 to $690 a year at our current prices. Core costs $552. The saving is larger if you also use the dental, desexing or medication discounts, and smaller if you skip routine care altogether.

Can I pay annually instead? Yes. Pay 11 months up front and get the twelfth month free. Ask Bec at reception.

Who do I talk to about it? Bec Tanner manages all RiverCare accounts. Phone (06) 550 4470 or email hello@riversidevet.example.com.

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