The ER for pets

UF opens after-hours emergency pet clinic in Ocala

 By Sarah Carey

A new after-hours UF pet emergency clinic in Ocala is officially open for business, giving pet owners in Marion County access to urgent care during time periods when veterinarians’ offices are typically closed.

The UF College of Veterinary Medicine teamed up with a group of Ocala veterinarians to establish UF Pet Emergency Treatment Services, a 5,000-square-foot clinic located near the Paddock Mall at 3200 SW 27th Ave.

The clinic provides basic to advanced emergency care between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. during the week and is open around the clock on weekends and holidays. UF small animal emergency and critical care clinicians staff the clinic, with additional support personnel. The staff will rotate shifts in Ocala while continuing to provide services at the UF Small Animal Hospital in Gainesville.

“We are pleased to be able to serve as a resource to these Marion County and surrounding-area veterinarians, who will have our phone number on their answering machines after hours and who will let their clients know that we are here to help them when their pets have emergency needs that they are unable to meet,” said Dana Zimmel, D.V.M., chief of staff of the UF Veterinary Hospitals.

“We are hopeful that the existence of the new clinic means we will be able to help lead these pet owners to local veterinarians to develop an ongoing relationship that will ultimately mean better long-term health for the animals.”