The Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (VECCS) is committed to promoting the advancement of knowledge and high standards of practice in veterinary emergency medicine and critical patient care. One of the ways they do this is by offering certification to hospitals meeting or exceeding the minimum guidelines for staffing and equipment.

Three of our hospitals – Arizona Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Center (AVECCC), Red Bank Veterinary Hospitals (RBVH), and Northeast Indiana Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital (NIVES) – recently earned VECCS certification. They did so by promoting a positive environment and team approach and raising the level of emergent and critical patient care.

VECCS created a tiered-certification process to show a difference in hours of operation, equipment, reference material, and staffing according to each facility.

AVECCC in Gilbert, Ariz., qualified for level one certification, which means they:

• Have the resources and specialty training necessary to provide sophisticated emergent and critical patient care.
• Provide 24-hour care.
• Are open 365 days a year.
• Have a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (DAVECC) on staff full time.

RBVH in Tinton Falls, N.J., and NIVES in Fort Wayne, Ind., qualified for level two certification, which means they:

• Are staffed with the personnel and training necessary to provide emergent and critical patient care.
• Provide 24-hour care.
• Are open 365 days a year.

“Obtaining VECCS certification recognizes practices for meeting stringent criteria that designate them as centers of excellence in emergency and critical care. This affords our patients higher quality medical care and, therefore, their families the comfort of knowing their pet is in the best hands possible during what is usually a very stressful situation,” Clinical Advisor Stacy Burdick said.

Learn more about VECCS certification and see how you can apply.