Emergency Vet and Out-of-Hours Service
Emergency Number (24 hour): 01202 484466
Emergency Care
We will always see a genuine emergency as quickly as possible, even outside of normal working hours. We are the only local practice to run our own 24 hour emergency vet service for clients, which is staffed by the same friendly faces you see during the day!
If you think your pet requires emergency treatment, please call us on 01202 484466. Our experienced staff will triage calls, and advise you on the best course of action for your pet.
We take the responsibility for providing the best possible emergency care of our patients very seriously, with all clinical staff being fully trained in emergency care and first aid, including CPR techniques. Within our team, we are also fortunate to have post-graduate certificate-holders in ‘Emergency Medicine and Surgery’ and ‘Emergency and Critical Care.’
Out-of-Hours
If your emergency is outside of normal consulting hours (after 5pm), our clients are seen at our Christchurch Hospital by our own vets and nurses, with full access to your pet’s clinical records.
Please only call us out-of-hours if you have a genuine emergency, as we work with limited numbers of staff overnight. You should be aware that we may need to prioritise the most critical cases in busy periods, but our team will aim to see you as soon as possible. We are immensely proud and grateful to our vets and nurses who have chosen to work with us, to offer round-the-clock care for our patients, and are committed to remaining a practice who cares about our patients, no matter the time of day… or night!
Please note: Our out-of-hour’s service is reserved for active clients of Priory Veterinary Group only.
If you are not registered with us, you will be advised to contact your own veterinary practices out-of-hours service. We strongly advise that any non-clients familiarise themselves with their chosen veterinary practice’s emergency vet services, as we do not have any arrangement to provide other practices with out-of-hours cover.
Designated parking is reserved for inpatients, at the side of the building.
Out-of-Hours Charges
| Mon-Fri | 5pm-7pm £150 | After 7pm £230 |
| Saturday | ————— | After 5pm £230 |
| Sunday | 9am-5pm £170 | After 5pm £230 |
Animal Transport Services
We are usually unable to perform house visits out-of-hours, due to the nature of emergency treatment requirements and restricted staffing numbers.
Please note that “Owners are responsible for transporting their animals to a veterinary practice, including in emergency situations.” (RCVS Code of Conduct, updated 2021.)
We would encourage owners to make contingency plans where possible, in case of an emergency. Eg. ask family members, a friend or neighbour to help with transport. There are a few taxi and animal ambulance services in the Christchurch area who are happy to transport animals, although please note – not all are available overnight.
Contact Details
- Animals At Home 07753 434 110
- Pet Pals 01202 466055 or 07986 680016
- United Taxis 01202 556677
- Stephanie Best Paw 4ward 07876 543321
- PRC Streamline Group 01202 373737
Disclaimer: We hope that you will find this information useful; however, we cannot give approval, or endorse any one company, as we do not monitor their activities. As such, we cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from the use of these services.
Animal Poison Line
Priory is a member of the ‘Veterinary Poisons Information Service’ (V.P.I.S.) who we can call for specialist advice on the management of poisonings in animals. The V.P.I.S. run a subsidiary service called ‘Animal Poison Line,’ which is a 24 hour, specialised emergency telephone service, dedicated to helping pet owners who are worried their pet may have been exposed to something harmful or poisonous. Their specialists can advise you on whether your pet needs to been seen by us. For more information, please visit their website at https://www.animalpoisonline.co.uk/
