Our Mission

Helping our patients achieve wellness is what inspires us to come to work every day. We want to listen and empower you with the knowledge needed to make the best decisions possible for your pet. We believe that our patients require individualized and affordable care and by working together, we can offer them the longest and most joyful lives possible.

Our Commitment

In fulfilling our mission, Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital strives at all times to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

Providing Goods and Service to People with Disabilities

Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

Communication

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

We will train staff who communicate with customers about how to interact and communicate effectively with people with various types of disabilities.

Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital will, upon request, provide or arrange for accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities as follows:

In the event that Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital determines that it is not technically feasible to convert the information or communications, or the technology to convert the information or communications it not readily available, they will provide the person that requires the information with an explanation as to why the information or communications are unconvertible and a summary of the unconvertible information or communications.

Telephone Services

We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our customers. We will train staff to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

We will offer to communicate with customers by email or text message if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

Billing

We are committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our customers. For this reason, invoices will be provided in the following formats upon request: hard copy and email. We will answer any questions customers may have about the content of the invoice in person, by telephone or email.

Assistive Devices / Personal Support Equipment

We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services. We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

Persons needing the assistance of walkers, scooters, oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, or service persons may use any or all services they require when visiting our hospital. Our facility is a non-smoking environment, and therefore no flames should pose a risk to any person using an oxygen tank. Our staff will try to provide as much help as is needed when bringing in pets for services or with carry-outs to the car when purchasing pet food.

Hearing Impaired Care

Our deaf/hearing impaired clients may use the Bell Relay Service to provide them the information they need or set up appointments for their pets. Please let us know the best way to communicate with you (i.e., lip-reading, writing messages on paper, typing notes on a computer or text with a smartphone). We will alert your client file to notify our staff when a client is deaf/hearing impaired in order to do our best to communicate with you when you are in our hospital. Our staff has been instructed to use whatever method of communication you prefer. We may wave or lightly tap your shoulder to get your attention and will make eye contact with you so that you know we are ready to assist you. We will try to speak clearly and slowly to have an opportunity to read our lips if that is a skill you possess. We will try to keep the topic brief and alert you if we change topics. We will make efforts to communicate with our hands to help describe treatments or information.

Visually Impaired Care

For visually impaired persons, we will identify ourselves and our position within the hospital. We will describe findings on your pet’s health exams or lab work. We will describe printed treatment plans and associated costs. We will provide you with a copy to take home, allowing you to have a non-visually impaired person review this document with you. We will be happy to show a non-visually impaired person (family member, friend or support worker) how to medicate your pet should medications be dispensed during your appointment. Persons who are visually impaired may request any staff member to read aloud instructions or information required for the care of their pet. Customers can be told locations on our website to find required information that their computer can read aloud to them. Staff can offer/ provide an elbow to help guide visually impaired persons around the clinic if they need/request it.

Other Disabilities

For persons with learning disabilities, mental impairment, developmental disability, or mental disorders, etc. we will do our best to communicate with a supportive member of your family or support worker about the needs of your pet so that you can make an informed decision about your pet’s required care.

Building Accessibility

Our facility is located at 29 Elizabeth St. Caledon Village, ON and has wheelchair accessibility via a ramp to the parking pathway. We have automated doors allowing access to our hospital, and should you require any help with doors, our staff has been instructed to assist with holding open doors as needed. We will remove chairs from our exam rooms to make room for your wheelchair or the like. Our clinic is located in a heritage building and unfortunately does not have a wheelchair accessible washroom facility. The closest wheelchair accessible washroom is next door at Tim Hortons located at 18372 Hurontario St. Caledon Village, ON.

Website Accessibility

Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital’s internet website and web content will conform with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. An accessibility menu can be enabled by clicking the accessibility menu icon that appears after clicking on the Accessibility Widget on each page of our website.

Use of Service Animals and Support Persons

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal in areas of the hospital that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that all staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.

We are also committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support
person while on our premises.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

Notices will be placed at all public entrances on Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital premises. If the disruption is long‐term, Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital will post an announcement on its website informing clients of the location, duration of the disruption and alternate solutions.

Training for Staff

Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices and procedures. Individuals in the following positions will be trained:

This training will be provided within 2 weeks after staff commence their duties.

Training will include the following:

Applicable staff will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures. The Hospital Manager will ensure that completion of accessibility training is tracked and recorded.

Multi‐ Year Accessibility Plan

Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital’s Accessibility Plan outlines a strategy to prevent and remove barriers and meet its requirements under the IASR. Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital will post the plan on their website and will provide it in an accessible format upon request. The plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every 5 years.

Feedback Process

The ultimate goal of Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

If you have a disability and feel you require any care not listed in this document, please give us feedback. We will make every effort to assist you in accessing our services and implementing your suggestions. We will take into consideration any questions, feedback, or concerns and address them with you at our earliest convenience via email or phone call.

Feedback regarding the way Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by:

All feedback will be directed to Alie Volpatti, Hospital Manager. Customers can expect to hear back within 7 business days.

Modifications to This or Other Policies

We are committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities. Any policy of Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Questions About this Policy

This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of any part of the policy is not understood, questions should be referred to, Alie Volpatti, Hospital Manager of Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital.