Tampa, FL (July 2024) – UrgentVet, the first dedicated urgent care clinic for pets, announced today it is expanding its footprint in Missouri. The company will open a new clinic in St. Louis and begin serving pets and pet parents on July 18th.
UrgentVet emphasizes compassion, affordability, and convenience within its business model. The groundbreaking concept offers a new solution by bridging the gap between primary practices and 24-hour emergency vets. Open nights, weekends and holidays, the company’s clinics offer pets relief for mild illnesses and minor injuries with rates significantly more affordable than comparable services at an emergency pet hospital. The model is akin to walk-in care for humans when their regular doctor isn’t available, and the condition doesn’t warrant an ER visit.
Located at 2963 Highway K, UrgentVet- O’Fallon sits along one of the city’s most heavily trafficked routes and is easily accessible via Highway K and Highway N. The clinic is 3,040 square feet with 3 exam rooms exclusively for small dogs, 2 for large dogs and 2 for cats.
“The pet parents of Missouri welcomed us the moment we opened our doors in Liberty in May,” said Dr. Stephanie Smith, Vice President of Medicine at UrgentVet. “We’ve served hundreds of pets in the area already,” added Smith. “We’re excited to expand our relationship with the local pet and veterinary community with our second location where we will be one of the only after-hours providers of small animal veterinary care in St. Louis.”
UrgentVet is also in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Along with species- and size-specific exam rooms, UrgentVet- O’Fallon is intentionally outfitted with non-slip flooring, dimmable lighting, soothing colors, soft music, calming pheromones and quiet exam lift tables, all in support of creating a fear-free experience. The clinic also has revolutionary tempered glass pet enclosures from Casco that are 70% quieter than metal cages—a design cue that helps make the enclosures the most Fear-Free product on the market today. As an added nod to pet comfort, all staff members at the clinic have received unique training to become Fear-Free-certified professionals.
As is the case with all UrgentVet locations, the clinic’s treatment area features an in-house laboratory and state-of-the-art equipment, including digital radiography and ultrasound technology.
With veterinary staffing shortages resulting in longer wait times and limited care options, the impacts of a continued economic downturn are a major cause for concern in the industry. Sadly, nearly 50% of pet parents say they’ve decided to forego or delay veterinary treatments amidst inflation.
“An after-hours injury or illness can be a traumatic experience for both the pet and pet parent,” Smith added. “Our hope is that our area locations can help to ease at least some of that stress pet owners in and around St. Louis.”
Positioned to provide care for common conditions that require immediate attention but aren’t serious enough for hospitalization, UrgentVet treats vomiting, diarrhea, limping, itching, coughing, not eating, minor wounds, back pain and more.
UrgentVet aims to develop strong relationships with neighboring primary care veterinarians, a practice that clinic staff has already started in the St. Louis area. Approximately 90% of pets seen at UrgentVet are treated on site and referred to their primary vet with a detailed letter and records for follow-up care.
For more information, please visit UrgentVet.com.
Contact: Luisa Garcia, Expansion Marketing Manager – [email protected]
About UrgentVet
Founded in Charlotte, North Carolina, by Dr. Jim Dobies in 2015 and owned by American Veterinary Group, UrgentVet is the first dedicated urgent care clinic for pets. Offering after-hours services, its clinics provide pet owners, or pet parents as UrgentVet refers to them, with an affordable and convenient alternative to 24-hour emergency vets. It offers immediate relief for mild illnesses and injuries in dogs and cats with rates that are more affordable than comparable services at emergency vet hospitals.