Ashley Auer looks after Tizoc at the Las Vegas Animal Emergency Hospital, 5231 W. Charleston Blvd.larry Cruikshank/VIEW
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The Las Vegas Animal Emergency Hospital, 5231 W. Charleston Blvd., between Jones and Decatur boulevards, is open 24 hours on weekends. The weekday hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
It sees between 200 and 350 animals a week and can accommodate roughly 40 animals overnight.
Manager Alli Velliquette said the facility is not there to compete with the family vet.
"We're open 24 hours on Saturdays and Sundays when most veterinarian offices are closed," she said.
About 90 percent of the clinics on the west side of town refer clients to the animal hospital should a serious injury occur. Some pet owners have their own version of what qualifies as a serious injury.
"Some pet owners will call about a broken toenail," said Karen McMillon, receptionist. "People freak out at little things like that."
Actually, a broken toenail could pose a problem if the animal gnaws at the wound or if the flesh becomes infected.
About five times a week, the hospital gets an animal that's been hit by a vehicle. Sometimes it's the pet's owner that brings in the animal, many times, it's a stranger.
"We get so many good Samaritans who bring in strays that have been hit," McMillon said. "It's a hard thing to see on the road and many people will just keep going. But then others will stop, pick it up and bring it to us."
The animal hospital has five veterinarians on staff and deals only with dogs and cats. The phone number is 822-1045.
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