Veterinary Emergency + Referral Center of Hawaii

We had to take our very old kitty here for a health crisis and she stayed 3 nights and I was completely blown away. The kindness of the people - from the sweet security guard letting us in to visit each evening to the smiling front desk staff who seemingly live there to the techs who oozed compassion for our dear feline - these are truly people who care about our sweet girl. The facility is stunning. I'm a human physician and this hospital is better equipped than many human hospitals here on island and especially compared to neighbor islands. Fully staffed 24/7, they were able to provide a level of care I didn't even know was possible in vet medicine. We were also able to visit almost any time day or night other than when the medical team is rounding and planning care. Whether in person or by phone, a doctor was always available for questions and gave us all the time we needed. On the topic of the doctors - every one I met during our stay was top notch with specialists available as well. Every vet I've ever met was kind and loving, but these were that plus top notch clinicians. Our kitty had a fairly classic but challenging kidney issue combined with new cardiac, GI, and endocrine issues complicating management as well. I can attest that these are extremely challenging scenarios for people docs as well, but these veterinary specialists were able to handle the nuances of management beautifully. Costs were very reasonable - a bit less than comparable services at cash pay human facilities, though providing this level of 24/7 care is definitely not cheap. That said, when our charges ended up being less than the estimate we had pre paid, they refunded us the difference - over $3k at discharge. And best of all - our kitty is doing well and happier than she's been in a long time! We were so impressed that we're planning to follow up outpatient with their specialists to continue the high level of care we experienced during her stay. I don't know how much time we have left with our girl, but I know we are giving her the absolute highest level of care possible. When the inevitable finally happens, I'll know we did everything we could and that we gave her many more good happy days. I truly can't recommend VERC highly enough.

Thankfully I've never had to take our new kitten here with any serious condition. As a newbie cat parent though, any injury seems critical at the time! And of course pets get sick and injured after normal vet hours, so I'm extremely grateful to have this treatment option available. Of course like human ERs you will have to pay more than you would for normal doctor visits, but at least the wait time here is not as long.

We can’t say enough wonderful things about the team at Vet Care Center. Our dog had TPLO surgery with Dr. Chen, and from the very beginning, every single person we encountered made us feel supported, informed, and genuinely cared for. Dr. Chen was incredible. She explained every step of the procedure in a way that was thorough but easy to understand, answered all of our questions, and helped make an overwhelming situation feel much more manageable. A few days later, Tuck managed to get his cone off overnight and licked part of his incision, so we rushed him back for what felt like an emergency. The staff immediately got us into a room, and Dr. Mac was amazing. She kept both us and Tuck calm, explained everything before placing his staples and starting antibiotics, and made us feel confident that he was going to be okay. We also want to recognize our veterinary technicians, Tabitha and Asia, for being so kind, patient, and compassionate with Tuck. They took the time to earn his trust and make him feel comfortable. There was another technician during our emergency visit whose name we unfortunately didn’t catch, but she was just as wonderful—she sat with us, talked with us, and helped keep Tuck calm during a stressful moment. The front desk team deserves recognition as well. Every visit has been met with warm smiles, friendly conversation, and genuine kindness. During a stressful week, it meant so much to be treated like people, not just another appointment. Even chatting about everyday things like the Sky Rail helped take our minds off everything for a little while. It’s clear that everyone at VERC truly cares—not only about their patients but about the families who love them. We are so grateful that Tuck is in their care and would recommend them without hesitation to anyone looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable veterinary team.

Excellent hospital. My fur baby came here almost dying but they found the problem and saved him. To say I’m impressed by the drs that treated him is an understatement. I felt that this hospital has the best doctors. I understood every single time they explained something to me. I know my baby was in excellent hands, the doctors here are phenomenal. Let’s not forget the staff at the front desk, very professional and welcoming. Overall i definitely would make the trip here if any emergency arises again! Thank you to everyone at the hospital!

Called around for a 24 hr vet for my dog at 9:30pm on a Sunday night, 4th of July weekend. First two places stated extensive wait times with one place in Kailua telling me to call back in two hours to check wait times again which would've been close to midnight. Called here and the woman who answered and did my intake was caring and professional & provided upfront pricing for the exam which I felt was fair. When I arrived & checked in at reception they had all of my info and brought us in immediately. Vet tech took time to listen to my concerns and asked relevant questions. They took my dog back to be examined by the doctor while I waited in one of their many intake rooms. Doctor came in within 10 minutes and gave me a few options for treatment along with pricing. Once we agreed on a treatment plan she stated they needed about 1/2 hour and they would have my pup back to me so we could head home. Facility is clean with helpful security and parking was right in front. It couldn't have gone much better. Highly recommend.