Hey friends, Tappy here! You know I usually take the reins on these blogs, but this one is so important that our founder, Eric Garcia, wanted to step in and write it himself. So today, I’m handing the mic over to Eric—because when it comes to helping veterinary teams navigate online negativity, there’s no one better to guide you through it. Take it away, Eric!
Navigating Virtual Harassment in Veterinary Medicine
By Eric D. Garcia, Founder of Tapir
As veterinary medicine has gone digital—bringing online pharmacies, appointment scheduling, client communication, and social media marketing into daily practice—teams have gained incredible opportunities to connect with pet owners in meaningful ways.
But with that visibility also comes increased exposure to online negativity—from negative reviews to cyberbullying and, in some cases, outright harassment.
One of the most common questions I get from veterinary teams is:
“How do we handle negative reviews or online attacks without making things worse?”
At Tapir, we help practices navigate reputation management as part of their overall veterinary marketing strategy. I always tell my clients and audiences at conferences: Not all negative feedback is the same. A critical but honest review requires a different approach than a fake, slanderous, or malicious attack. The key is knowing how to respond (and when to ignore it altogether).
Let’s break it down.
1. Leave Private Hate Private
One of the biggest mistakes I see is veterinary teams engaging in online debates inside Facebook groups, Nextdoor threads, or niche pet forums. While these platforms can foster community, they also create echo chambers where misinformation spreads quickly.
When someone posts a rant about your practice in a private group, your instinct may be to jump in and defend your team—but I always advise against it.
🚫 Why? Because these comments weren’t written for you—they were written for an audience. Engaging only fuels the fire.
Instead, let the conversation run its course. Most online complaints lose momentum when left alone. If the person has a genuine concern, they will reach out directly. If not, it’s not worth your time.
✔ Pro Tip: If a private group post gains traction and affects your business, have a team member monitor the conversation, but don’t engage directly. If misinformation is being spread, consider a calm, factual post on your public page to set the record straight—without directly responding to the private discussion.
2. Be Strategic When Responding to Negative Reviews
One of the most frequent questions I get in my lectures about social media or Google is:
“How should we respond to a negative review?”
Here’s what I tell every veterinary team: Pause before you reply.
What to do first:
✅ Pull the pet’s medical records. Before responding, make sure you fully understand the client’s case and interactions with your practice.
✅ Pick up the phone. Whenever possible, reach out privately first to try and resolve the issue. A personal call can turn a frustrated client into a loyal advocate.
✅ If they don’t answer, THEN craft a public response.
What to say:
1. Apologize for their experience – but don’t admit fault if your practice handled things appropriately.
2. Acknowledge their frustration. Empathy goes a long way.
3. Offer a next step—whether that’s a phone call or a direct email to resolve the concern.
Sample Reply to a Negative Review:
“We’re sorry for your experience. We have not been able to reach you by phone, but we’d love the opportunity to make this right. Please call our medical director (OR insert the name of the person in charge at your practice) at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.”
What NOT to do:
🚫 Get defensive or argue publicly
🚫 Share pet medical details (this violates confidentiality laws!)
🚫 Ignore a review completely (this makes it look like you don’t care)
At Tapir, we help veterinary practices draft, edit, and post review responses as part of our subscription platform—saving our clients time while also training them so they can eventually handle it themselves if they prefer.
3. Report Fake or Malicious Reviews
Not all negative reviews are legitimate. If a review violates platform guidelines, you can often flag it to get it removed, though not always successful, it does work.
Report a Google Review Steps:
- Log into Google My Business at google.com/business.
- Select “Reviews” from the menu.
- Find the review, click the 3-dot menu, then select “Flag as inappropriate.”
Report a Yelp Review Steps:
- Claim your business page at biz.yelp.com.
- Find the review in the “Reviews” section.
- Click the 3 dots and select “Report Review.”
4. Recognizing Cyberbullying: When to Take Action
Another common question I get is: “What do we do if someone is relentlessly attacking our practice?”
This goes beyond reviews and into cyberbullying territory. Whether it’s a disgruntled former client, a competitor (trust me, I’ve seen crazy things here), or an anonymous internet troll, the best approach is:
✔ Document Everything – Take screenshots in case legal action is needed.
✔ Block & Report – Social media platforms allow you to block repeat offenders.
✔ Use AVMA’s Cyberbullying Hotline – If harassment escalates, call (626) 531-1140 for support and a free counseling session.
5. Reputation Management is Veterinary Marketing
At Tapir, we believe that reputation management is a critical part of veterinary marketing. A single negative review won’t ruin your practice—but how you respond, manage, and prevent online negativity can define your brand.
As part of our Tapir subscription platform, we help veterinary teams by:
✅ Writing & editing review responses so they don’t have to
✅ Training teams on how to handle reviews professionally
✅ Empowering practices to eventually manage their own reputation—while saving them time in the process
Veterinary medicine is hard enough without online harassment adding stress. If your practice is struggling with managing reviews or negative online attention, we’re here to help.
Let’s take control of your online presence—so you can focus on what you do best: caring for pets.
Back to you, Tappy!
Tappy here! Didn’t I tell you this was an important one? If your practice needs help with veterinary marketing, online reputation management, or training your team to handle reviews with confidence, Tapir is here for you.
Until next time!
