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West Newsmagazine is West St. Louis County's
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West Newsmagazine News |
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After-hours animal emergency center opens in WildwoodBy Diane Plattner
 A new center in Wildwood is the only one in the West County area to provide after-hours emergency care for animals.
On June 27, the Animal Emergency and Referral Center (AERC) opened its doors at 16457 Village Plaza View Drive in the Village Plaza Shopping Center in Wildwood. The 6,000-square-foot, fully equipped hospital is open all night, from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m., Monday through Friday, and 24 hours on weekends and holidays. That makes it the first facility in the area to provide after-hours emergency and urgent care for dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, reptiles and other small animals. A team of advanced-trained veterinary nurses and veterinarians will staff the hospital at all times, hospital representatives said. They said services will include an intensive care unit, medical imaging such as digital X-rays and ultrasounds, and laboratory work. “The location and convenience of our new hospital can mean the difference between life and death of a pet,” said Scott Reed, AERC’s medical director. “By combining a caring and compassionate staff with modern diagnostic equipment, we are able to rapidly assess a pet’s condition and initiate appropriate care. Our intensive care unit is centrally located and constantly staffed so that each critically ill or injured pet is never alone.” The project, funded by the Small Business Association (SBA), is a cooperative effort with some area veterinarians, said Jeanne Conroy, hospital manager. “And because we are also a referral center, many of the West County veterinarians will be referring their clients and patients to our facility after their closing hours and holidays,” Conroy said. Conroy said the hospital will not limit its services to only West County residents and their pets. “But we are in desperate need for an animal emergency center in this area,” Conroy said. Hospital officials said they initially will provide only after-hours urgent, emergency and critical care services. However, the facility has been designed to allow for rapid expansion. The goal, they said, is to transition to seven days a week, 24-hour emergency services within the next year, when they plan to add veterinarians with specialized training in surgery, internal medicine and oncology. Open houses will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. In addition to tours of the hospital, pet and people treats will be available along with complimentary engraved pet tags and first-aid information.
"The open houses are to show people that their animals are in great care here," Conroy said. "Our client services are top-notch."
Animal Emergency and Referral Center (AERC) 16457 Village Plaza View Drive * Wildwood (at the intersection of Manchester and Westglen Farms Drive, in the previous St. Luke’s Urgent Care Center)
Hours: 6 p.m.-8 a.m. Monday through Friday; 24 hours on weekends and holidays
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