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Finding a Vet in PEI and Understanding What Care Costs
PEI's after-hours pet emergency care runs through two very different providers, at two very different price points. Here is where to actually go, and what a consult costs before treatment even starts.
1. Regular Vet Care
Most Island towns have at least one general small-animal veterinary clinic; Summerside Animal Hospital, for example, has served the Summerside area since 1985, with standard weekday hours (8am-6pm Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm Saturday). As a newcomer, ask your municipality's Facebook community group or the PEI Humane Society for a clinic recommendation close to home, since wait times for a first appointment vary significantly by clinic and season.
2. Two Emergency Options in Charlottetown
| Provider | Hours | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| PEI Veterinary Walk-in & Urgent Care | 12pm-12am, 7 days a week | Urgent injuries, illness, poisoning, GI emergencies outside regular clinic hours |
| AVC Veterinary Teaching Hospital (UPEI) | 8am-11pm, 7 days a week | Small animal emergencies, plus large animal and farm emergency service |
The AVC Veterinary Teaching Hospital is staffed by Atlantic Veterinary College clinicians, interns, and senior veterinary students, and also runs dedicated large-animal and farm emergency lines (902-566-0999 for large animals, 902-566-0900 for farm service) if you own livestock rather than a household pet.
3. What an Emergency Visit Actually Costs
At PEI Veterinary Walk-in & Urgent Care, the base consult fee is $189.50 CAD, before any tests or treatment. At the AVC Veterinary Teaching Hospital, every emergency visit starts with a triage assessment and exam, followed by a cost estimate for anything beyond that; a recheck for the same condition within 48 hours of discharge is free.
Both facilities generally expect payment at time of service, though some offer third-party financing options (such as Scratchpay) for larger bills.
4. A Practical Tip for New Pet Owners
Save both emergency numbers in your phone before you need them:
- PEI Veterinary Walk-in & Urgent Care: Charlottetown, 12pm-12am daily
- AVC Small Animal Emergency: 902-566-0950, 8am-11pm daily
Outside both windows (roughly midnight to 8am), your options narrow considerably on the Island, so if your pet has an ongoing condition, it's worth asking your regular vet in advance what they recommend for true overnight emergencies.