Important client information regarding out of hours changes from 1st July

At Moor Cottage Vets, we are very conscious your pets are part of your family, and our priority is, and always will be, to ensure they have access to the very best care no matter what time of day or night it is.
Out-of-hours service provision

Until recently, we have provided a nurse-led overnight service for your pets here at Moor Cottage. However, due to several factors, including COVID, the provision of this service has put a very high demand on our nursing team, many of which are also caring for your pets throughout the day.

True emergency cases require expert, continuous care and monitoring from vets and nurses trained in emergency and critical care work. For the most seriously ill patients, this care should be available around the clock with no fluctuation in the level of service throughout the night. However, with advancement in critical care techniques, the ability of vets to look after critically ill patients, and their expectations, it is increasingly the case that a dedicated out-of-hours team is required to fulfil this provision.

Patient care is our number one priority. Having day staff to provide night-time cover is no longer adequate or acceptable when an alternative service that can offer improved patient care is available. We have therefore taken the difficult decision to suspend this service and will partner with Vets Now, a dedicated pet emergency service that provides expert pet emergency care.

They have sites in Reading, Staines, High Wycombe and Farnham where a Veterinary Surgeon and Veterinary Nurse specialising in Emergency Care are waiting to be of assistance throughout the night. In addition, should your pet be admitted to our hospital during the day and need overnight care, they will be transferred to a Vets Now hospital to continue their care to the high level that we expect at Moor Cottage.

Further details, including location and contact information for Vets Now, can be found here.

Out-of-hours service provision FAQs

Why have you made this decision?
True emergency cases require expert, continuous care and monitoring from vets and nurses trained in emergency and critical care work. For the most seriously ill patients, this care should be available around the clock with no fluctuation in the level of service throughout the night. However, with advancement in critical care techniques, the ability of vets to care for critically ill patients, and their expectations, it is increasingly the case that a dedicated out-of-hours team is required to fulfil this provision.

Using day staff to provide night-time cover is no longer adequate or acceptable when an alternative service can offer improved patient care.

Is this decision about cost-cutting?
No. The decision is purely about doing the right thing and providing the best care for our team, you and your pets. It has not been an easy decision as all the staff at Moor Cottage Vets care about your pets like they are our own. But due to advancement in critical care and expectations placed upon our vets and nurses, we currently can’t provide the level of care and monitoring acutely ill pets deserve outside of normal hours. As a result, we continue to have considerably longer opening hours than any other practice in the area.

What can’t you do that the new service can?
We have traditionally relied on day staff to provide night-time cover. Still, with the advancement in critical care techniques and monitoring requirements of the acutely ill, this solution is no longer suitable when a full service is available elsewhere. We cannot care for and observe critically ill patients continuously through the night-time at present. Therefore, to ensure your pets have the best possible care at all times, we have partnered with a dedicated out of hours provider who is well-established and has the necessary expertise to care for critically ill patients outside of normal hours.

We use you because we know and trust you; why would you send us elsewhere?
It means a lot to us that you feel you can trust us to look after your loved ones, and we hope we can continue to do so. While it hasn’t been an easy decision for us, we believe the new service will deliver a better level of care outside of our core hours that we can deliver, and your pets deserve the best possible care, whatever the time of day or night.

What if my pet was admitted during the day?
If your pet was admitted during the day and required ongoing treatment overnight, this care will be best provided at Vets Now. We can help organise your pet’s transportation using an animal ambulance, for which there will be a small charge, or you are very welcome to take your pet yourself. It is expected your pet will return in the morning to continue the care with the team that knows them best; here is Moor Cottage.

But I trust Moor Cottage to look after me and my pet; how can I trust someone else with my pet outside of normal hours?
We are pleased that you trust us to look after you and your pets. Still, veterinary care has moved on dramatically, and we can’t currently provide the level of service and expertise that we’d like outside our normal opening hours. This is why we have partnered with a specialist out-of-hours vet service who we believe are best suited to looking after you and your pets when we can’t.

Is this a corporate decision?
Not at all, I promise you. This is about quality of care, whatever the time of day or night. With the advancement in critical care techniques, the ability of vets to care for critically ill patients, and their expectations, it is increasingly the case that a dedicated out-of-hours team is required to fulfill this provision. Using day staff to provide night-time cover is no longer adequate or acceptable when an alternative service can improve patient care.

Thank you from all of the,
Moor Cottage Vets team