A few facts
We treat around 170,000 pet emergencies every year
Our clinicians are specially trained in emergency & critical care
We have been saving pets' lives for 20 years
What happens now?
Now that you’ve let the clinic know you have arrived, your visit will usually follow these steps
1. Waiting
Like A&E, the most serious emergencies will be seen first so there may be a wait to be seen by the veterinary surgeon.
2. Triage
Your pets’ vital parameters will be assessed (triaged) by one of our team, and prioritised in order of urgency.
3. Treatment
During the consultation with the vet they will assess your pet and then talk through the options available to you. We can then decide on the next steps together and once agreed our team will go ahead with the treatment.
4. Payment & Insurance
Our team will keep you updated with the costs of treatment and will discuss payment options with you.
Finance and insurance
We know money is the last thing on your mind right now but our team will need to discuss costs with you before they treat your pet.
We don’t mean to be insensitive, it is just best professional practice to ensure that you are made aware of the full cost of all the treatment options so that you can make an informed decision regarding which option is best for you and your pet.
If you can’t afford the full range of treatment for your pet, please tell the vet as soon as possible, they may be able to tailor the treatment options to suit your budget.
Here is some useful finance information:
Some additional questions you might have about cost, payment and insurance
Our customer support team have answered all the questions you might have about cost, payment and insurance.
Places to get help with vet fees
A list of places that may be able to help with vet bills if you are unable to cover the cost.
How your fees are spent
Out-of-hours vet fees are typically more expensive than your day practice. Here, we break down where our income goes.
How we're here for you
At Vets Now, our purpose is to give you and your pet the care and support you deserve, at the time you need it most, whether it’s four in the morning or in the middle of Sunday lunch.
Our pet emergency clinics are the pet equivalent of A&E. We work in partnership with more than 1400 daytime vets so that when they’re closed at night, on weekends and bank holidays, pets can still receive the care they need.
Frequently asked questions
We’ve tried to answer any questions you might have below:
Why are other clients being seen before me?
We operate a triage system, which means the more sick and unwell patients will be seen first, just as you would see if you were visiting a human A&E unit.
Our highly trained emergency teams are smaller than your daytime vets and manage unpredictable caseloads, especially at weekends. Similar to human A&E, this can lead to variable waiting times as we prioritise the pets requiring more urgent care. If you are at all concerned about your pet’s condition whilst you are waiting, please do not hesitate to contact the team immediately.
Please don’t worry, it is important that your pet feels comfortable so you can accompany your pet into the consultation. If your pet has been known to be nervous or aggressive in the past, it would be helpful for you to inform us in advance so we can take all precautions necessary to limit the stress for your pet.
Your pet will be initially triaged by one of our nursing team who will ensure that the most seriously ill pets are seen as a priority by one of our vets. If your pet has life-threatening injuries, please be reassured that we will administer emergency first aid treatment.
Treatment length will depend on what the vet and you, the pet owner, decide after the initial assessment. The duty vet will discuss whether you should continue to stay on-site or go home after your consultation. Please do not leave the clinic until advised by the clinic team. You will be asked for consent if your pet is hospitalised.
Please ensure your pet can be safely transferred into the clinic. Dogs should have well-fitting collars and leads. Cats and small mammals should be safely secured in a basket or box. Whilst we appreciate the comfort a favourite toy or blanket might bring, we request that you do not send these in with your pet for their initial assessment. We have plenty of cuddles and reassurance available!
Due to the emergency nature of the work we do, we do not offer any type of vaccinations. You need to contact your regular vets for this to be carried out. The same applies to other routine procedures such as teeth cleans and nail trims.
Medication will be brought out to you by the vet or nurse. If you have any questions regarding giving this to your pet, please make sure to ask.
A copy of your pet’s medical records and any additional appropriate information will be sent to your own vets automatically. If you are going for a follow-up appointment with them and they have any questions, they can contact us to discuss further.
Please do not hesitate to get back in touch if you are still concerned about your pet during our opening hours.
If your pet is insured and you wish to claim under this then please initiate the claim with your insurer. In most cases your insurance company requires you to initiate the claim so view the table below to determine what your next steps are.
- Animal Friends – Send an email to [email protected] with your policy number, full pet name, and postcode that the insurance is registered to.
We will then initiate the claim on your behalf, via the Animal Friends online portal. - Agria / Kennel Club – Send an email to [email protected] with your policy number.
We will then initiate the claim on your behalf, via the Agria / Kennel Club online portal. - Petplan – Petplan claims are started online by you as the policyholder. Please initiate your claim on the Petplan website [claims.petplan.co.uk].
Petplan will then send us a link to complete the claim. - All Others – Please contact your insurer to initiate the claim.
Please respond to this email with any information required from Vets Now, as advised by your insurer.
If an insurance form is required, please complete the policyholder section and email it to us.
Insurance claims will be sent directly to the insurance company at which point you will be copied in (if sent by email).
This depends on your insurance status and the method you wish to claim by.
If you aren’t insured, we would require full payment at the end of treatment. If your pet is being admitted with us, we would require a 50% deposit of the lower end of the estimate given by the vet.
We do not accept cheques. Card payment is preferred.
You may have received insurance documentation on email or in the post. If these are unavailable, please inform the team of the name of the insurance company and contact us with the policy information as soon as possible.
Normally payment will be taken at the time of treatment. However, if your pet is insured there are 2 ways in which a claim can be made for any treatment your pet has received at Vets Now:
1. Indirect claims
This is where you pay the full account balance and a claim is made to your insurance provider, whereby your insurance provider would subsequently pay you directly. There is an administration charge for completion of an insurance claim
2. Direct claims
A direct claim is where Vets Now processes a claim to your insurance provider and they pay Vets Now directly. There is an administration charge for completion of an insurance claim. For us to be able to process a direct claim, certain criteria must be met.
If you are opting for a direct claim, you will need to pay the administration fee, fixed excess, any percentage due according to your policy terms and the cost of any additional items or treatments that cannot be claimed for.
If treatment is for a known exempt condition, then the full balance will be due. If the total balance comes to more than your policy covers then any deficit will need to be paid at the time of treatment.
If you are opting for an indirect claim or are not insured, then the full balance will be due at the end of treatment.
Please note that you will remain liable for any outstanding balance not paid by your insurance company.
We have a centralised team in place who will complete the claim form within 14-21 days. If you haven’t heard anything within that timescale, please contact your insurance company first to determine if they have received it. If they have not received it then please contact our customer support team at [email protected] who will try and guide you accordingly.
Normally if your insurance company needs more information they will contact both you and ourselves to request it. If you do not hear anything within 14 days please contact our customer support team at [email protected] for further help.
What is the insurance admin fee?
To provide your insurer with accurate information on the treatment your pet received and the associated costs of this treatment, there is administration required. This incurs an admin fee payable at the time of treatment. Please contact your insurance provider to activate your claim. Please note we are not responsible for any discrepancies between you and your insurance provider. Thanks for your understanding.