Emergency vets: out-of-hours and 24-hour clinics

If your pet needs a vet tonight, ring your own practice first. Their phone will either be answered by a vet or pass you to the clinic that covers them overnight. If you can't get through, the clinics below are staffed through the night.

Phone before you set off

Night teams are small. A quick call means they can get ready for you, and they can tell you if they're tied up in surgery and you'd be better going elsewhere.

Your vet has to arrange emergency cover

Under the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, every vet practice has to take steps to provide 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief for the species it treats. That doesn't mean your local surgery stays open all night. Most don't.

What it usually means in practice:

  • You ring the practice's normal number and a message gives you an emergency number.
  • The call goes to a dedicated night clinic such as Vets Now or MiNightVet, often 10 to 30 miles away.
  • In some areas, especially rural ones, a vet from the practice is on call and will meet you there.

Practices have to tell clients how their out-of-hours cover works, so it's worth checking now rather than at 2am. Look on their website or ask at reception, and save the number in your phone.

The duty is to give first aid and pain relief, not to treat for free. Out-of-hours care is charged, and it costs more than a daytime appointment.

Is it an emergency?

Ring straight away if your pet:

A single bout of sickness in a bright, eating dog can usually wait until morning. If you're not sure, ring and ask. Night teams would much rather take the call. And never give human painkillers: paracetamol can kill a cat, and ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers and kidney damage in dogs.

What it costs

Expect a consultation fee of roughly £150 to £300 at a night clinic, higher after midnight and on bank holidays. Anything beyond the exam, like X-rays, a drip or an overnight stay, is on top. Many clinics ask for a deposit before admitting a pet. If you're insured, ask whether they can claim directly from your insurer, though most will still want the excess paid on the night.

If money is tight, say so early. Staff can talk you through options before costs build up. PDSA owners should check PDSA's own out-of-hours arrangements first.

Dedicated out-of-hours clinics

We only list clinics that run a dedicated night or 24-hour service: Vets Now, MiNightVet, Medivet 24 Hour centres, Veteris, Animal Trust 24/7 and a few independent emergency hospitals. Ordinary practices with an emergency phone line aren't included. Opening times can change, so always phone first.

127 of 127 clinics

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This page is general information, not veterinary advice. Read the RCVS guidance on 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief.