This midstate emergency vet office would be open when your vet’s office is closed

Pet owners in Middle Georgia have not had a lot of choices when they needed emergency care for their animals after hours, weekends or holidays. That should change this summer.

A ground-breaking ceremony was held Wednesday for Middle Georgia Veterinary Emergency Center in Warner Robins to serve midstate pet owners, according to a news release. The center, which should be open for business by late summer, will be in the 4800 block of Russell Parkway at the intersection with Oxton Court, one mile east of Interstate 75. Construction should begin next week.

Twenty-nine veterinarians who practice small animal veterinary medicine in Bibb, Houston, Peach, Dodge, Toombs and Pulaski counties, in partnership with South Atlanta Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center in Fayetteville, combined resources to create the center in Warner Robins, the release said. It is expected to serve small family pets and not farm animals.

The emergency center will open after normal business hours on weekdays and will be open 24 hours on weekends and holidays, Dr. Ben Smith said Wednesday. He is with Smith Animal Hospital with offices in Fort Valley and Perry. The emergency center also would be open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, he said.

“The hope is that many other veterinarians will use this clinic as their emergency resource,” the release said. “Middle Georgia Veterinary Emergency Center will be fully staffed with quality emergency-trained veterinarians, veterinary technicians and support staff.”

The center will be led by Fayetteville veterinarian Dr. Mike Younker, who is CEO of the South Atlanta Veterinary center, the release said. A board of directors will help oversee the business.

This story was originally published February 22, 2017 at 5:44 PM with the headline "This midstate emergency vet office would be open when your vet’s office is closed."