Dogs and cats, and other furry friends, are more than just pets—they’re our beloved family members who are cared for like our children.
To that end, Huntsville and other Muskoka parents of these furry and fluffy kids have driven up to two hours to see a veterinarian when local clinics were closed.
Recognizing a growing need for their services in the community, the Huntsville Animal Hospital is attempting to fill that after-hours gap by offering extended hours and weekend care.
Starting in January, they will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. The Huntsville Animal Hospital, located on Highway 60, will also be open every second Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.
In the very near future, their sister clinic, the Bracebridge Animal Hospital, will be open on Saturdays, on alternate weeks, to ensure as much coverage as possible for pets and their families throughout Muskoka.
“Dr. Cassandra Jackson and I involved the whole team to try to come up with hours that we could extend to be able to help the community because we know that there is a need for it,” explains Ginny MacLeod, Registered Veterinary Technician and manager of the Huntsville Animal Hospital. “It was very much a community-first initiative from our team, who are driven, caring, compassionate individuals with strong roots in our community.”
The Huntsville Animal Hospital has 15 full-time and one part-time staff member to serve the community’s needs. They look after a wide array of household pets, including dogs, cats, reptiles, guinea pigs, rabbits, and more.
Though they’re not quite able to offer 24/7 care, the new extended hours will certainly provide more options and help many families avoid extra travel to Barrie or King City – especially during the winter.
“So far, we’ve had lots of great feedback from our clients,” says MacLeod. “We encourage everybody to utilize those extended hours.”
To help fill the gap when they’re not open, the Huntsville Animal Hospital is part of a pilot project with VetWise – formerly known as SmartVet – to offer telemedicine triage services for pets.
“What happens is if you can’t get a hold of us because it’s after hours, you call VetWise, and you’re triaged by a registered veterinary technician,” explains MacLeod. “They’ll let you know if it’s an emergency and you have to go somewhere immediately, or if the symptoms indicate that it can wait until the next day the animal hospital is open and they can book you directly into our schedule.”
It won’t cost the people calling VetWise anything. It’s a service being provided by participating veterinary clinics. It will not only help pet owners get fast, professional advice but also alleviate the pressure on those locations that are open to focus on emergency care.
“It helps take the guesswork out of what to do in that moment and it bridges that gap between what we can offer and 24/7 care,” she explains.
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Yay guys… that is amazing… so needed for those who work later!!
This is exciting news. It’s too bad that all the clinics won’t share this responsibility so one clinic is not stuck with all the extra hours!!
It was that way years ago – an after hour call directed you!
House calls for pets that don’t travel well ? Eg….Cleaning out ears .