I am a pet owner, first.
My first dog was Bootsie Sue, a Hungarian Puli. I was 20 years old. Today, four Pulik and 37 years later, I married my veterinarian and run a business my wife and I conceived to provide after hours veterinary care. Most likely you are reading this because you are either a subscriber of Pets After Dark, a veterinarian, a pet owner thinking about becoming a subscriber or someone that works in the veterinary or pet space.
Outreach to the pet community is very important to both of us. If you have been reading our emails, you know that we like to feature veterinarians from around the city offering commentary on a wide array of topics. As my wife (Dr. Caroline Simard-Swimmer, our Medical Director and Co-Founder) and I were discussing this week’s upcoming blog entry, as we do every week, she suggested that I write something from a different perspective. “Why would anyone want to hear from me, I winced? I am not a veterinarian. What expertise could I possibly offer?” Her response was “A different point of view, as a pet owner.”
…and I always listen to my veterinarian!
I met and then fell in love with my wife as a direct result of her being my veterinarian. Before Caroline, coincidentally, my first veterinarian was Dr. Larry Gerson, the founder of Point Breeze Veterinary Clinic where Caroline has been practicing veterinary medicine for the past 20+ years. I remember going to Dr. Gerson’s emergency clinic on Route 8 with Bootsie who was throwing up violently. It was very stressful! But the doctors at the ER all new Dr. Gerson and that assured me that I was in good hands. So although it was not Dr. Gerson that was examining my dog, there was this sense of familiarity. It was one of many times in my pet ownership history that I needed a veterinarian after hours! Believe it or not, that clinic metamorphosed into what it is today, Blue Pearl (PVSEC), an emergency room we are so proud to have a strategic partnership with. Talk about full circle!
Pets After Dark was born from the premise that as long as my wife is a veterinarian, she will always make herself available to pet owners around the city and beyond. And as long as there are pet owners, there will be questions, accidents, illnesses, surgeries, errant swallowing of Hershey Kisses, and so on. And no matter where you live or what type of dog or cat you have, if you are a pet owner, you need a veterinarian! And as I can speak from my own experience, often times this need happens at night or on the weekend!
Before Pets After Dark became an actual business, the conversation in our house was often about pets: our pets, Caroline’s client’s pets, friend’s and relative’s pets and friends of friends relative’s pets. Being able to speak with a veterinarian that you trust about your four legged family member is not only a medical necessity for your pet, it is a significant component in the well being of pet owners. One of the core values of Pets After Dark is that we “connect you to your regular vet or a local vet who knows your regular vet.” Our pets are our family and their well being often dictates our mood, our anxiety level and often our happiness. If our pets are healthy then we usually feel pretty good! Recently very dear friends of ours had to euthanize one of their dogs and we got to visit them in the days before. What always remains crystal clear is just how much our pets are part of our family. As we sat with our friends visiting in last days of their dog’s life, we laughed about times we remembered and funny episodes that will live on in all of our memories. Their personalities become part of us and their unique and unwavering companionship stimulates an increased level of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. And that means, short and simple, our pets make us feel good!
Being able to connect with a veterinarian that you know and trust makes all the difference in the world when your pet is not 100% . Wondering whether or not you need to take your pet to the ER can be overwhelming. We built Pets After Dark to help pet owners navigate the overwhelming decision making that often comes with owning a pet. It is a new way of caring for your pet. We work with your veterinarian to close the loop on nights and weekends when they are not available. We keep your medical records on our system and we guarantee you a next day appointment with your veterinarian.
We are so proud of what we have built and we are confident you will see the value in being a subscriber, for less than the price of daily Starbucks. We think our pets are certainly worth more than a cup of coffee! And since not everyone is lucky enough to be married to a highly skilled veterinarian, we have provided another option that won’t require you to get a new spouse! We hope you will consider becoming a subscriber to Pets After Dark.
As we say: “ You love your pet. It’s after hours. You need answers.”
Howard Swimmer
CEO and Co-Founder
