COVID-19 Information

To Our Valued Clients and Pet Parents,

Thank you for your patience and understanding as life as we all know it has dramatically changed in the past week as a result of the corona pandemic. We continue to craft and change our appointment protocols to safely serve you and your well loved pets while providing added protections for our dedicated team of veterinary professionals and the community at large.

We continue to be open for our patients and pet owners in need of veterinary care with newly implemented ”carside” appointments and other modifications as directed by Governor Murphy and the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association.

To be respectful and in compliance with the Governor’s mandates, we have implemented:

• Social distancing rules: NO CLIENTS WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE BUILDING.
• Carside service:
  • Clients with scheduled appointments: Please call us from our parking lot with your pet’s name so a Veterinary Team member assigned to your pet can go to your vehicle and safely walk her/him into the hospital. All dogs MUST be on a leash and all cats MUST be in a secured, sanitized carrier for everyone’s safety. The Doctor will first examine your pet and then call you to discuss her/his findings and recommendations to get your verbal consent to proceed with the agreed treatment. Your call will then be transferred to a Team member who will provide an estimate and take payment over the phone via credit card. Finally, a Team member will safely escort your pet back to your vehicle along with any prescriptions, medications, flea tick products, etc., that you requested and paid for.
  • Clients without an appointment needing emergency care for their pet during normal business hours need to phone us as soon as you can with a brief yet detailed description of the emergency so we can have a Staff member ready to transport your pet into the hospital.
• Non-emergent care:
  • All routine baths and pedicures and non medical appointments are currently suspended.
• Medication Refills:
  • Clients in need of medication refills; food; flea/tick products; etc., please call ahead and be prepared to prepay over the phone. When you arrive for pick up, again, call us from your car and we will deliver the product(s) to you.
  • We can also send our prescription medications and diets through our ADCH newly launched online pharmacy. Go to our website: arlingtondogandcat.com click on “Home delivery.”
• Staffing for a new normal:
  • Our Doctors may not be following their “normal” schedule and therefore, “requested” doctors may not be available during your appointment.
  • Our “normal” hours may change slightly in the days and weeks ahead

As we identify ways to continue to provide the full scope of veterinary services most needed by our patients and clients.

• We may be scheduling appointments a little further apart to allow additional time for carside services and client communication.
• Pets and COVID-19
  • Remember, according to the World Health Organization and the CDC, pets do not get the COVID-19 strain of the coronavirus. However, because the virus can live on surfaces, it is advised to minimize face licking and to wash your hands after playing with or petting your pets.
• Our Staff has been instructed to monitor their personal health and are currently not permitted to come to work if they have a fever or feel ill.
• For everyone’s safety: If you have a fever; respiratory illness; or known exposure for which self quarantine has been advised, please do not come to the animal hospital. Please find someone else to transport your pet and we will consult with you by phone.

By following these guidelines, we can and will continue to be of service to our patients and the community. Our main concern is the health and well being of our patients and their families; as well as those of our dedicated veterinary team.

Thank you for your understanding and trust in caring for your pet(s),

Herb Leary, VMD and the entire
Arlington Dog & Cat Hospital Veterinary Team