Calling all Pets

Veterinarians in Northwest Arkansas are dog-tired of getting up in the middle of the night to tend to suddenly hurt or sick animals.

This fall, 33 area veterinarians will open an all-night emergency room for animals. Eventually, the Animal Emergency Clinic of Northwest Arkansas will support one regular nighttime doctor, but the Northwest Arkansas doctors will split the work until a permanent veterinarian is hired. One or two veterinary assistants will also staff the clinic.

Dr. Barbara Larsen of the Animal Medical Clinic in Fayetteville is vice president of the clinic’s board of directors. She said the board recently signed a lease for 2,000 SF in Ozark Center Point West in Springdale.

All of the veterinarians, most of whom service companion animals, will send their emergency calls to the new hospital. Other board members include Drs. Curt Campbell, Beth Stropes, Randy Wolfenkoehler and Mark Davis.