Brighton veterinary hospital no longer 24 hours

BRIGHTON, N.Y. — It’s official: What was the only 24-hour vet in our region has cut back its hours.

Veterinary Specialist and Emergency Services in Brighton announced it has scaled back from 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to hours between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

The animal hospital said it will continue to accept drop-offs for special and surgery appointments from 6 to 8 a.m. — but will no longer have emergency services after operating hours.

The reason for the reduced hours? Lack of staff.

If an animal needs emergency care after 10 p.m., the nearest 24-hour animal hospital is now more than 60 miles away in either Orchard Park or Syracuse.

“We are committed to ensuring continuity of care for our patients. Each case receives meticulous assessment from the medical team at VSES,” said Mariya Barnes, VP of corporate communications with Thrive Pet Healthcare. “Depending on the seriousness of the situation, we have two approaches. For cases requiring specialized attention, we facilitate the introduction and communication with other ER hospitals in the area to help patients access the care they need. In situations where monitoring at home is feasible, our team provides pet families with the guidelines for overnight care until they can return to our facility.”