The Veterinary profession to this day feels it has an ethical obligation to relieve animal distress. We are the only UK profession which offers 24/7 365-day emergency cover without charging a subscription fee. This service puts extra strains on a small business, (for which it is in a business sense a loss-making activity), and on the members of staff who work around the clock to protect animal health.

Please ensure that where possible you try to seek early treatment during Surgery hours rather than waiting until a situation has become a night-time emergency. It is always in the best interests of your animal and client responsibility is the only way we can ensure that this style of call-out service remains sustainable. 

Far fewer younger Vets wish to undertake onerous rotas nowadays and the Working Time Directive puts constraints upon the number of hours we can demand of our staff. Please use this service responsibly and only for genuine, unavoidable emergency, so that we can continue to provide this service, subscription-free for as long as possible.

We cover a wide geographic area and out-of-hours Vets may be working in remote areas at the time of your call. However we will always attend to your animal as soon as possible.

.

Please be aware that we share our out of hours duties with the Bainbridge practice and you may on occasions be directed to that Surgery. (see google map below.)

We usually will answer your emergency call directly using our own staff but the gaps may occasionally be filled by a commercial Answering Service who will relay your request onto the duty Vet.

We do encounter poor client behaviour from time to time with the ‘out of hours’ service. If threatening, abusive or ill mannered behaviour to the telephone staff or the Vets is encountered at any time then the client will be asked to seek Veterinary assistance elsewhere.