Argh, my vet screwed up - help?

So I just got off the phone with a very nice lady at DEFRA who seemed quite confident that it wouldn't be a problem.  Granted, she also said that the vet should verify the date with the lab (not really possible, since the blood was drawn before it got sent to the lab), but he could also check his own records, which should include my bill from that date.  At any rate, she said it shouldn't be a problem if I have him fill in the date after the fact, so I'll drop off the forms for him this evening.

So, that's one less worry on my mind!

So I just got off the phone with a very nice lady at DEFRA who seemed quite confident that it wouldn't be a problem.  Granted, she also said that the vet should verify the date with the lab (not really possible, since the blood was drawn before it got sent to the lab), but he could also check his own records, which should include my bill from that date.  At any rate, she said it shouldn't be a problem if I have him fill in the date after the fact, so I'll drop off the forms for him this evening.

So, that's one less worry on my mind!

Yay, this is great!! 
I'm glad you gave them a call, they really are great to talk to directly, aren't they?!

Yes, they were very nice.  I wasn't put off by calling them so much as using VOIP/Skype to do so, as the last time I tried that it didn't work so well.  It sounded a bit scratchy while I was on hold, and I'm not sure how well she heard me, but I heard her great, at least.

Guess I can stop by the vet's office tonight to drop off the forms for him to sign.  And a huge YAY that my pets can still travel in mid-December rather than having to push back to mid-late January.

OK, I'm even more glad I called them, because they e-mailed back this morning and didn't really answer my question at all.  They seemed to think that the entire procedure (i.e. microchip, vaccine, then blood draw) had been screwed up, not just a single field on a form missing.

Anyway, just a head's up for anyone else who needs to contact DEFRA.

OK, I'm even more glad I called them, because they e-mailed back this morning and didn't really answer my question at all.  They seemed to think that the entire procedure (i.e. microchip, vaccine, then blood draw) had been screwed up, not just a single field on a form missing.

Anyway, just a head's up for anyone else who needs to contact DEFRA.

Yes, that was my experience too -- an e-mail reply I received did absolutely nothing to help me, but when I called and talked live to a real person, to whom I could clearly describe my problem, the conversation was fantastic, making the information and the way forward crystal clear and giving me reassurance worth more than gold.

I would strongly recommend making the phone call, not the e-mail, every time.
They give GREAT phone, hah hah!

Yeah, I think if I'd attached the form (maybe with a highlight on the blank field), it would've been a bit clearer, and even on the phone I don't think I really accurately described what I meant, but she was able to get the idea.

I filled in the field myself, after all that, because I figured the chances of hte vet actually doing it (and putting the right date ) are slim to none, and there's no way DEFRA will know/give a crap anyway.  Just as a CYA thing, though, I'm going to draft a letter for my vet's office saying that we did follow all the procedures correctly (as far as microchip first, then rabies, then blood work, etc), and have them print it on letterhead and the vet sign it.  Not sure if it'll help, but it can't hurt.

(So now my only nagging fear is that they'll see 6/12, which is the blood draw date, and the vet's signature from 6/15, and they'll think he didn't verify microchip # before they drew the blood, but I did specifically ask them to do that.)