Our Centres

The Animal Emergency Centres (AEC) are Australia's state of the art Pet Emergency Trauma Centres. Our hospitals are designed to function as an extension of the services already provided by your family veterinarian, and we work with them to ensure your pet receives the best possible care at any time of the night or day.

Both AEC Hallam and AEC Mount Waverley (in Melbourne) are open 24 hours, 365 days a year. These centres are available for referral of emergency and critical care cases at all hours, including during normal hours.

Our other AECs are open back of clock - opening in the evening and closing in the morning on weekdays, with 24 Hour care on weekends and public holiday periods. Please refer to the information on each individual centre to find their exact opening hours.  

The AEC has a staff of over 100 dedicated veterinary people (including 30 veterinarians who work around the clock). The AEC sees thousands of animals each year - whether they are brought in directly or referred for special treatment by veterinary clinics.

Few aspects of pet ownership are more daunting than when your pet is taken ill in the middle of the night or when your vet is closed. Emergency situations can be very stressful to pet owners. Our staff are devoted to providing a caring environment that treats animals and their owner with dignity, kindness and respect. We continually update our medical protocols to ensure the best possible outcome for your family friend.

Please be aware that patients are seen in order of urgency, not order of arrival. At times, there may be a wait before a veterinarian is available. We appreciate your patience whilst we attend to patients with immediately life-threatening problems.

Compassionate Care – That’s why we're here

Many veterinarians refer cases to the Animal Emergency Centre – both during normal hours and after hours. When you call your veterinarian after hours, the call may be diverted to us or you may get a message directing your enquiry to us. Our veterinarians work closely with your vet, sharing information to provide optimal care for your pet. We provide full written reports and copies of Xrays and results of pathology tests to your veterinarian so that they can continue with treatment once your pet is stable.

Visits

We fully understand that separation from your pet is difficult. In most cases, it is in the patients’ best interests to have short, daily visits from their owners. Please ask the veterinarian or nurses attending your pet if you would like to visit and we will do our best to organise a mutually suitable time. In the interests of providing the best possible service to all animals in the hospital, we cannot allow extended or frequent visits, particularly in busy periods.