Indiana animal ER closes, Purdue takes on duties

West Lafayette, Ind.

-- Purdue University plans to expand its emergency services beginning July 1, as part of a collaborative effort with the Animal Emergency Clinic near the school.

Purdue supported an effort several years ago by a group of private practitioners near the college to start an emergency service, but Purdue spokesman Kevin Doerr says the service hasn’t been as successful as initially hoped.

Therefore, a mutual agreement between the practitioners running the Animal Emergency Clinic and the veterinary school calls for the clinic to move from its current location to Purdue. Emergency services at Purdue now will be open to the public (rather than by referral only), and it will help support the college’s new critical-care specialty, Doerr says.

“This endeavor is a win-win situation for everyone involved,” explains Dr. Paula Johnson, clinical assistant professor of emergency critical care at Purdue. “If the private emergency clinic closed and the school did not embark on this initiative, the community would not have an easily accessible facility providing emergency service for pets and pet owners.

“As of July 1, the Purdue University Animal Emergency Service will provide that kind of care without area veterinarians having to shoulder that responsibility on top of their usual long workdays,” she adds. “Additionally, the emergency service will enable the school to expand its curriculum and improve the learning experience for Purdue veterinary students and veterinary technician students.” Purdue veterinary students will help staff the new emergency service, the university reports.