Vets Now at 25 years

Vets Now Marks 25 Years With Pet Emergency Week Campaign

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Posted
23rd September, 2026 15h25

Campaign aims to improve owner preparedness and support faster decision-making in emergency cases

Vets Now is marking its 25th anniversary with the launch of Pet Emergency Week (Monday 28 September – Sunday 04 October 2026), a new national awareness campaign for pet owners, aimed at improving owner preparedness and supporting faster, more appropriate decision-making in emergency situations.

Founded in Glasgow in 2001 by veterinary surgeon Richard Dixon, Vets Now helped pioneer dedicated out-of-hours veterinary care in the UK, enabling daytime teams to switch off at the end of the day and hand over cases to clinicians focused on emergency and critical care.

Twenty-five years later, the organisation, now part of inspiring vet care, runs more than 60 out-of-hours clinics and 24/7 hospitals in Glasgow and Manchester, supporting practices and caring for around 200,000 pets each year.

The 25th anniversary campaign launches alongside new Censuswide research among 2,000 UK pet owners, which highlights a gap between intended and actual behaviour during emergencies. While 75% of owners say they would call a vet immediately, 32% report having searched online or on social media before contacting a vet during a real emergency, and 27% have waited to see if symptoms passed before seeking help.

The research also points to continuing client education challenges, with nearly one in five owners saying they would have to look up where their nearest emergency or out-of-hours vet is located, only 29% having vet contact details saved, and just 12% having a pet first aid kit.

Awareness was high for obvious emergencies such as seizures, collapse and breathing difficulties, but lower for other potentially serious presentations including bloated stomachs and straining to toilet with no result. The findings also showed that some owners had given human medication or tried online home remedies during emergencies.

As part of Pet Emergency Week, running from Monday 28 September – Sunday 04 October 2026, Vets Now is hosting When Minutes Matter, a free online on-demand pet emergency masterclass delivered by clinicians and designed to give pet owners practical guidance on recognising common emergencies, knowing what to do first and understanding when to get to a clinic quickly.

Hannah Beard, RVN, who works at Vets Now’s hospital in Manchester, said: “Clinicians see first-hand how quickly a pet’s condition can deteriorate, and how important those first decisions can be. This campaign is about giving owners clearer information before they are in a crisis, so they are more likely to contact the right help quickly and less likely to delay care by searching online or trying unsuitable remedies at home.

“For the profession, the findings underline the importance of simple, repeated client education around emergency signs, out-of-hours provision and unsafe interventions such as human medication. Pet Emergency Week gives practices and emergency providers a timely opportunity to reinforce those messages with owners.”

Veterinary professionals are encouraged to signpost clients to the masterclass as a practical resource to support conversations around emergency signs, unsafe first responses and the importance of seeking veterinary advice quickly.

Further information and registration details are available at: https://www.vets-now.com/25-years-saving-pets

Vets Now is also encouraging practices and emergency providers to use Pet Emergency Week as a prompt for simple client messages:  Be prepared. Know where your closest out-of-hours vets is and save their number for when your practice is closed. Keep basic pet first aid supplies at home.

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