Honest answers about the Hannah Membership.
You may have seen TikToks, Reddit threads, or older reviews about Hannah. This page explains — in plain English — how our Membership model works today, including the parts people ask about most: who owns the Pet, who makes medical decisions, what’s included, and how cancellation works.
At a glance — what Membership provides
Hannah’s Total Lifetime Care® (TLC) plan bundles veterinary care into a predictable monthly cost so you aren’t choosing between your budget and your Pet’s care.
What Hannah is (and isn’t).
Hannah’s mission is to help Pets live longer, healthier, happier lives by making high-quality veterinary care more predictable and affordable — especially when Pets need ongoing treatment.
What Hannah is
- ✓A Membership-based veterinary care program (TLC plan)
- ✓Predictable monthly pricing instead of visit-by-visit bills
- ✓Lifetime partnership: prevention, illness, injury, and emergencies at Hannah locations
- ✓Behavior, training, and Pet-family support as part of the relationship
What Hannah is not
- ✕Traditional Pet insurance with deductibles and claim forms
- ✕A per-visit, pay-as-you-go clinic
- ✕A rescue or shelter (we do help match Pets and families, but we’re not a rescue)
- ✕A system where decisions happen without you — Pet Parents are part of every major decision
Pet ownership & medical decisions.
Two of the most-talked-about parts of Hannah’s model online are (1) who technically owns the Pet, and (2) who makes serious medical decisions. Here’s the honest answer to both.
Who makes medical decisions?
- 🐾You and your Hannah veterinarian decide together on exams, treatment plans, and next steps.
- 🐾Hannah does not euthanize Pets because care is “too expensive.” Euthanasia is recommended only when medically necessary to end suffering, and with the Pet Parent’s agreement — except in rare emergencies where you cannot be reached or you have surrendered the Pet.
- 🐾If you and Hannah ever strongly disagree on a course of care, you can take ownership of your Pet and pursue your own treatment path.
Why does Hannah “own” the Pet on paper?
By holding legal ownership, Hannah carries the medical responsibility for your Pet and absorbs the cost of covered care. You still pay a predictable monthly TLC fee and any startup fees you opted into — but you don’t face surprise bills when something serious comes up.
- 🐾This structure lets us provide lifetime care at scale and accept many Pets — including many with pre-existing conditions — that might otherwise be declined elsewhere.
- 🐾You can take full legal ownership back at any time by paying the pre-disclosed Pet Purchase Fee on your TLC Placement Addendum (see the next section for how that fee shrinks over time).
- 🐾Most Members never repurchase their Pet — they choose to stay on the program for life.
The Hannah Team Oath
“We promise to never recommend unnecessary care and always recommend what’s best for you and your Hannah Pet, which we will provide to the best of our ability and without regard to cost.”
The Pet Purchase Fee.
At any time, you can convert your Pet from a Hannah Membership to your own full legal ownership by paying the Pet Purchase Fee. The fee shrinks every full year you’re enrolled.
How the fee works (current Agreement)
Your starting Pet Purchase Fee is set when you enroll and is disclosed on your TLC Placement Addendum. For Pets you bring to Hannah, the typical starting fee is:
- 🐾Dogs: $450
- 🐾Cats: $350
For Pets that Hannah sources and matches to your family, the starting fee reflects our average cost to find and place the Pet (about $600), plus any treatment Hannah provided before placement.
Each full year your Pet is on the TLC Plan, the fee reduces by $25, down to a floor of $100.
If you decide to take ownership, your monthly TLC fee stops that day. You receive a Bill of Sale transferring ownership of the Pet to you, plus a copy of the Pet’s vaccination records.
Three ways to leave the program.
The Membership Agreement is built to give you options if you ever need to end the program or change how your Pet’s care is handled.
You take ownership
End your TLC plan and take full legal ownership of your Pet by paying:
- 🐾The Adjusted Pet Purchase Fee on your Addendum (reduced $25 for each full year on plan, $100 floor)
- 🐾The unpaid 50% balance of the Sick or Injured Care Fee, if any
- 🐾Any remaining TTT (Testing, Transportation, Treatment) Fee or prorated Healthy Start Fee
Your monthly TLC fee stops that day. Hannah sends you a Bill of Sale plus your Pet’s vaccination records.
You stop paying
If you stop your TLC payments and don’t make other arrangements:
- 🐾After 30 days past due, your TLC Plan ends and you automatically assume ownership of your Pet.
- 🐾Hannah will charge your card on file for the Adjusted Pet Purchase Fee plus the same outstanding balances listed above.
- 🐾You receive a Bill of Sale and your Pet’s vaccination records.
Your Pet stays in your home throughout. The relationship with your Pet is not interrupted.
You return the Pet to Hannah
If you can no longer keep your Pet:
- 🐾Schedule an appointment, bring your Pet to a Hannah Veterinary Hospital, and complete a surrender interview.
- 🐾You will not owe the Pet Purchase Fee, because Hannah retains ownership.
- 🐾You are still responsible for any outstanding charges already incurred (Sick or Injured Care, TTT, prorated Healthy Start).
Your monthly TLC fee stops once the surrender is complete. Hannah then works to place the Pet in an appropriate home whenever possible.
What happens to my Pet if Hannah is sold or restructured?
Section X of the Membership Agreement addresses business transitions like a merger or acquisition: if Hannah ever changes ownership, the new owner steps into the same Agreement and continues to honor it. The Membership Agreement itself can be updated by Hannah at any time, but Hannah is required to give you the updated version at least 30 days before changes take effect, and to give you an opportunity to terminate the Agreement if the changes adversely affect you.
If you’d like our Member Advocate team to walk you through Section X (or any other section) line by line, just call or email — contact details are at the bottom of this page. You can also read the full Agreement (PDF).
Straight answers to what people ask online.
“Will Hannah ever make a life-or-death decision without me?”
Our standard practice is to discuss every serious medical decision with you and get your consent. Hannah does not euthanize Pets because care is “too expensive.” Only when a Pet is suffering and euthanasia is medically necessary — and you agree — will we recommend it. The only exception is a rare emergency where you cannot be reached or you have legally surrendered the Pet. Unlike many clinics, Hannah will never euthanize a Pet because the Pet Parent cannot afford a treatable injury like a broken leg.
“Why can’t I just pay as I go like a normal clinic?”
Traditional clinics bill one visit at a time. Our TLC model bundles preventive care, illness, injury, and emergencies at Hannah into a single monthly amount. That structure lets us accept many Pets with chronic needs and helps Pet Parents avoid painful “care vs. cost” choices when something serious comes up.
“Do I lose access to my Pet’s records if I leave?”
When ownership transfers to you, you receive a Bill of Sale and a copy of your Pet’s vaccination records that day. If your Pet has additional medical history with us, our Member Advocate team can coordinate appropriate documentation with your new veterinary provider. (Note: per the Agreement, historical financial and broader medical records made while Hannah owned the Pet remain Hannah’s property.)
“How do I get in touch?”
Use the right line for the situation:
- 🐾General questions / scheduling: 503.905.5200
- 🐾Lost Pet Help Line (24/7): 360.816.8000
- 🐾Member Concerns: [email protected]
“What kinds of Pets does Hannah accept?”
Hannah’s TLC Plans are available for dogs and cats. We accept many Pets with pre-existing conditions; aggressive Pets, certain medical conditions, and Pets where we don’t believe the family/Pet match is right are exceptions. A short intake exam and conversation tells us if Hannah is a good fit.
“What isn’t covered by Total Lifetime Care?”
TLC covers routine and emergency veterinary medical, surgical, diagnostic, and dental care plus formulary medications, all delivered at Hannah locations. It does not cover implants or implant surgery, organ transplants, cosmetic or experimental surgery, neuro/spinal/brain surgery, services at outside referral facilities, emergency services at non-Hannah providers, hospice or in-home care, physical or laser therapy, Pet food or dietary supplements (unless added), boarding, or grooming. Section D & E of the Agreement spell out the full list.
“Is this model right for every family?”
No model is perfect for everyone. Some families love the predictability and deep coverage of a Membership program. Others prefer traditional clinics or insurance. We encourage you to read the full Agreement, ask every question you have, and choose what feels best for your Pet and your situation.
How does Hannah compare to other options?
For a side-by-side look at Hannah vs. traditional fee-for-service clinics, wellness plans, and Pet insurance, see the comparison table on the What’s Included page.
View the comparison →Want someone to walk you through it?
Our Member Advocate team talks families through the Membership Agreement every day. If you have a specific concern, a real “what if” scenario, or just want a person on the phone — we’re happy to go point-by-point with you.