Independent Animal Clinic Ltd

Independent Animal Clinic Ltd is a small, family-run practice in Spalding owned and run by Hetty and Adrian Hayes, and it presents itself as independent rather than part of a corporate group. Reviews most often praise kind, personal care, especially around difficult end-of-life moments, along with clear explanations for ongoing conditions such as canine diabetes. Recent feedback also mentions acupuncture, surgery with good updates on the day, and friendly staff, though there are still a small number of serious complaints about diagnosis, communication and end-of-life handling.

Services

• •General veterinary care and procedures: recent reviews mention a dog having an operation with updates throughout the day, and owners describe the team as caring and reassuring during stressful visits.
• •Chronic condition support: owners specifically mention help understanding and managing canine diabetes, with clear explanations about diagnosis and treatment.
• •Acupuncture: one owner reports their dog received acupuncture over 9 months with marked improvement.
• •End-of-life support: several owners mention compassionate care when a pet reached the end of life or had recently been lost.
• •Out-of-hours care: emergency evening and weekend cover is provided by Millhouse Vets.

Pricing

Published prices suggest the clinic sits below average, based on a partial sample of comparable services. Reviewers also describe the practice as reasonably priced and among the better-value options in the area.

People

• •Hetty Hayes: co-owner of the practice. Reviewers often mention her by name, praising clear explanations, listening, diabetes management advice, acupuncture care, and calm guidance in stressful situations. A smaller number of reviewers report poor communication, concerns about handling, or dissatisfaction with clinical judgement.
• •Adrian Hayes: co-owner of the practice.
• •Team: recent reviews repeatedly praise the wider team, including reception staff, for being friendly, supportive, communicative, and compassionate, especially around operations and bereavement.

Reviews

Google rating: 4.7/5 from 27 reviews. Recent written feedback is mostly positive overall, with two detailed negative reviews alongside many strong recommendations.

• •Compassion and kindness are the strongest recurring themes, especially when pets are elderly, seriously ill, or at the end of life.
• •Communication is another frequent positive: owners mention clear explanations, help understanding diabetes, good updates during a dog's operation, and a friendly front-desk team.
• •A few reviews add specific examples of care, including acupuncture over nine months and practical advice for an elderly dog.
• •The main negative themes come from two reviewers who describe misdiagnosis, feeling dismissed, concerns about handling, and dissatisfaction with how a dog’s final illness was managed.