The conversion of a large industrial unit will see the creation of a 24-hour facility for animals in the care of the island’s oldest vets’ practice.
Once completed it will be Guernsey’s first hospital for small animals providing around-the-clock care, as well has having a specialist facility for horses, including an operating theatre.
If all goes to plan – including obtaining special small animal veterinary hospital accreditation from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons – the practice will open in January.
‘Caring for Guernsey’s animals has been at the heart of Isabelle Vets for more than a century, and this new development represents a major step forward for veterinary care on the island,’ said clinical director Doreen Munn-Litten.
‘Establishing a purpose-built veterinary hospital has been an ambition for many years, and finding a location capable of supporting both advanced small animal and equine services has been key to making that vision a reality.
‘The new facility has been designed to create a welcoming experience while giving our teams access to the specialist equipment, space and resources needed to provide outstanding 24-hour veterinary care.’
It will feature six consulting rooms, four operating theatres, separate waiting areas for cats and dogs, 12 kennels and a 20-space cattery, a CT scanner as well as allocated space for an MRI, which will be the first in the island for veterinary use.
For horse owners, the new premises will mean they no longer have to take them to the UK for most equine services since as well as on-site operations carried out by visiting specialists, there will also be four stables acting as a horse hospital.
There will also be facilities for staff members including offices, showers and changing room, meeting rooms and break areas. There will be a three-bedroom flat on the first floor with its own kitchen, lounge and dining area.
Isabelle Vets is part of VetPartners, which owns practices in the UK and Europe, and which provided the investment for the new practice. The work is being carried out by Medicare Construction.
After the new site opens the practice will retain its current clinics at Route Isabelle and L’Islet as branch surgeries.
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