Anyone who lives with pets knows that they are family too.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates that nearly half of all households have a dog or a cat, with between 37 and 47 percent of those households owning dogs and 30 and 37 percent owning cats. With that many pet owners, the demand for medical care options continues to grow.
If you live in North County, there’s a new option for families who have pets with emergency medical needs. On Dec. 20, the PETS Hospital opened its doors at 4854 S. Bradley St., in Orcutt. Started by veterinarian Joel Conn, the hospital’s name stands for Pet Emergency Treatment Services.
“There’s nothing more frightening as a pet owner than facing a medical emergency with your pet and not having an immediate place to turn to,” Conn said. “We see this as a much-needed community resource and it’s been a vision of ours for a long time to make it a reality.”
Other than offering an “exceptional customer service, and genuine warmth and care for pets and their owners,” Conn said, the hospital offers urgent care and emergency services for your four-legged family members on a 24-hour basis.
Conn said he’s not out to compete with other veterinarians in the area but instead to complement their services when they’re not able to take new patients. PETS Hospital works as an extension of the pet’s usual veterinarian and offers general practice services that fall into the realm of specialty medicine, as well as emergency and urgent care.
The staff at PETS is composed of a team of experienced veterinary doctors, technicians, and assistants—many of whom have worked in the community for years and offer a wealth of experience. Conn is originally from Blacksburg, Va., and earned his degree in biological sciences in 2002 from Cal Poly. After an externship at the Animal Medical Center in New York, Conn went on to UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to earn his doctorate. His primary veterinary interests include surgery and internal medicine.
It’s the latest pet emergency clinic to open on the Central Coast from Atascadero to Santa Barbara.
The PETS Hospital website also offers an extensive list of local emergency veterinarians, animal rescues, and clinics—including those that offer services for exotic pets.
For more information on PETS Hospital, call 250-5600 or visit petsurgentcare.com.
Highlights
• A Santa Barbara County-based company made national headlines this week when President-elect Donald J. Trump picked Andrew Puzder, the chief executive officer of Carpinteria-based CKE Restaurants, to be the incoming secretary of labor, according to The New York Times. Also known as Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc., CKE Restaurants is the parent company for fast-food burger chains Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. The Times reported that Puzder has argued against the Obama administration’s rule on expanding eligibility for overtime pay, a rule that was suspended by Texas federal judge Amos Mazzant III on Nov. 22.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Dec 22-29, 2016.