Takurua Vets offers an after-hours emergency service for companion animals in the Christchurch area. Outside of normal clinic hours, please call this number to be connected with our on-call emergency after-hours service.
If you are unsure whether your situation is urgent, it is always better to call and ask.
If your pet is unwell outside of normal clinic times, the most important thing is to stay calm and speak to a vet.
Our on-call team is available to talk through what’s happening, help you decide what needs to be done, and arrange to meet you at the clinic if care is required.
After hours, our clinic operates on an on-call basis rather than as a walk-in service. This means you’ll speak directly with a vet first, and if your pet needs to be seen we’ll arrange a time to meet you at the clinic.
This approach helps avoid long, unpredictable waits and allows us to prepare for your arrival, so care can begin promptly when you get here.
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You’re welcome to use our after-hours service even if you haven’t been to our clinic before. In urgent situations we’ll focus on your pet first and take care of the formalities when things are calmer.
If you’re visiting this page while things are quiet, you may find it helpful to register with us ahead of time. Having your details on file can make future emergency visits quicker and more straightforward for both you and your pet.
If you’d like to familiarise yourself with the layout and atmosphere of Takurua Vets before your first visit, you can take a short walkthrough video tour of the clinic. It shows the spaces you’ll move through on the day - from reception and consult rooms to our surgery and imaging areas - so you know exactly what to expect when you arrive.
If you’re unsure whether your pet needs to be seen urgently, you’re not alone - this is one of the most common questions we hear.
We’ve created a short video that explains the warning signs to look for at home and how to act in an emergency.
Urgent and after-hours care is supported by our clinical monitoring and record systems, which help ensure continuity of care and informed decision-making when pets need attention outside normal clinic hours. These systems support our veterinary team by providing awareness, context, and access to relevant information when time-critical decisions are required.
Sometimes the safest plan is to observe changes at home rather than rush into treatment. This page explains what your vet is asking you to watch for and when it’s important to get back in touch.
