You're relaxing at home late in the evening and one of your pups decides to take a piece out of his brother.
It's 10 o'clock Christmas eve, your family has just finished exchanging gifts and, lo, what's that sticking out of kitty's bottom? Could it be? Yes it is! Tinsel.
It's a rainy Sunday afternoon and your Labrador is watching you practice your golf putt down the apartment hallway and gets so excited he decides to grab and swallow your golf ball.
Where is your vet, just when you need him of her? Probably taking his own pup to the dog park or opening her own family Christmas presents or perfecting her own golf game on a rainy Sunday. But you need a veterinarian. Pronto!!!
If you live in Brooklyn you are fortunate for we have two top rated emergency vets with a total of three facilities. And they provide 24-hour coverage. Two are independently owned, those would be VERG Northh and VERG South. One is part of a national chain, Blue Pearl.
There is no wrong answer in picking one of the three facilities so now is a good time to decide rather than in the stress of an emergency. Does your own vet have a preference? They all coordinate with your family vet sending copies of your pet's emergency treatment records and recommending you go to your own vet for follow-up such as stitches removal of recasting. So fear not that you are taking business away from your family vet. It is the stress of having to be open at 1:00 in the morning you are taking away.
If your family vet doesn't have a preference, perhaps you should select the closer facility.
Or, if you don't have insurance, the one that tends to be less expensive.
Or talk to other pet owners about their experiences. Or talk to your dog walker (we recommend both companies) or groomer or pet store owner. Fortunately, in Brooklyn you cannot go wrong for both Blue Pearl and both VERG facilities offer top notch, cutting edge care.
So make your decision. Then put one, two or all three numbers in your smartphone. And do yourself a favor. Put in that they are Emergency Veterinarians. For in the heat of an emergency you just may not remember their "Christian names"
Hint: Also record their phone numbers and in an emergency, ask someone to phone them that you are on the way and why so they will be ready and you won't lose time answering questions about what happened.
VERG - North (Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group)
196 4th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 522-9400
Blue Pearl (new facility opened April 2019)
190 3rd Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 596-0099
VERG - SOUTH
2220 Flatbush Ave,
Brooklyn, NY 11234
(718) 677-6700
If you are not a Brooklynite, take a moment and look up the closest emergency vet NOW and enter the information in your phone. In Queens and Manhattan you have Blue Pearl. In Manhattan you also have Animal Medical Center, an excellent teaching and research facility as well.
No matter where you live, you and your smartphone should know where the closest emergency facility is. You never know. And maybe Murphy's law will keep you protected if you take the time be prepared.
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