When you arrive: The main entrance to Angell Boston is at the back of the building on the side furthest from South Huntington Avenue. If you are driving, park in the lot at the back of the building in order to be closest to the client entrance. The hospital entrance is via the ‘South Entrance’ which is labeled with a red sign and is on the left when facing the building from the client parking lot .
For your pet’s safety, and the safety of others, we require that all pets be kept on leashes or in carriers during your visit to Angell.
Your experience at Angell Boston will vary largely based on the nature of your visit. Please follow the links below for important information on how we handle each type of visit:
Angell Boston Emergencies
Angell Boston Outpatient Appointments
Angell Boston Procedures / Hospitalization
Angell Boston Emergencies
Should the need arise, we would like for you to be as prepared as possible if you are coming to Angell Boston’s Emergency Room (ER) for an unplanned visit or emergency. First, whenever possible, we ask you to please call our Emergency line at (617) 524-5660 to speak with a representative prior to heading to our ER. They will be able to assess your needs and inform you of what your best options are for care.
If you are directed by our staff to head into Angell’s ER, the first step when you arrive at our Emergency Room is to check in with the Front Desk personnel stationed at our ER desk. They will ask you what’s going on with your pet and assess whether your pet may need to be seen immediately or if your pet is stable enough to wait. Please note, this step is necessary in all cases. You will need to register/check in with our Emergency Desk even if you’ve already called in advance.
If your pet is deemed stable to wait, then you will be asked to sit with them in our Emergency Waiting Area until an available Emergency doctor is assigned to the case. If there is a question as to whether or not your pet is stable enough to wait with you, then our ER Desk staff will call for a ‘triage’ evaluation by a trained veterinary professional who will determine whether your pet requires immediate stabilization. If we determine that your pet needs immediate care, then you may be asked at that time to either authorize or decline the treatment and fees that may arise as a result of that care. By authorizing those treatments and fees, you are indicating your consent to the care and charges that may be incurred prior to an ER doctor speaking with you. By declining, you are indicating that your preference is that a doctor speak with you directly about your pet’s condition/prognosis before taking any steps to stabilize them (…and, by doing so, acknowledging that your pet’s condition may worsen as result of that decision).
Regardless of whether or not your pet waits with you in the waiting area or gets taken to the emergency ward for treatment / observation, the Front Desk staff will be collecting our Emergency Exam fee upon check in. This fee covers the physical exam by the veterinarian only. Any testing, treatment, medications or specialist consultations that are recommended as a result of that exam will result in additional fees being charged.
Notes about ER Visits
- If your pet is brought into the hospital wards in their carrier, please make sure that you do not leave the building before getting it back. Angell CANNOT store pet carriers.
- If your pet is brought back into the hospital wards during your wait, you will incur an ER Observation fee for the care being provided by the staff in that area.
- Though we are a 24 hour emergency referral hospital, Angell does not guarantee that all treatments, specialty consults, or diagnostics are available at the time of your visit. While it is very possible that the recommended testing/treatment may be offered on the same day, the possibility also exists that those may not be available until a subsequent day after a brief hospitalization or in a future outpatient appointment.
- When your ER visit is complete, please make sure that you are checking out at the ER desk as you leave. Even if you have not incurred any additional charges, this is still a necessary step to close your visit and maintain the integrity of your pet’s medical record.
Additional information regarding Emergency Wait Times
Due to the unpredictable demand for emergency services, ER wait times are extremely variable. Please be advised that, depending on the nature of the other emergency cases coming in on a given day/night, your wait time may be extended. Our emergency room sees cases in order based on their degree of urgency, not based on order of arrival. In short, there will absolutely be days when a case coming in with a relatively non-urgent issue is seen almost immediately. There are other times though where that same issue may be required to wait while more critical cases are managed and stabilized, even cases that arrive after you’ve already checked in. While we recognize that long waits can be uncomfortable and frustrating, we ask that you please consider that there are other patients in our care as well whose needs may be more urgent than your pet’s. We understand your concern for your pet, but ask for your patience while we address cases with more pressing needs. Of course, if you are waiting in our waiting room for your pet to be seen and you feel that your pet’s condition may have worsened during that wait, we ask that you please alert the staff at our ER Desk who can arrange to have your pet reevaluated by our triage team.
Acknowledging that any wait at all can be uncomfortable (especially when you are concerned for your pet), Angell is committed to making your wait as comfortable as possible. We offer vending machines, complimentary coffee, clean public restrooms, free Wi-Fi and phone charging stations for client use. Water bowls are always readily available for your pets. If there is some need that you have during your wait that is not being met, please feel free to check in with our Front Desk staff to see if we can accommodate your wish. These are also the people best equipped to give you information regarding local restaurants and accommodations should the need arise.
Specialty Care Through ER
When coming in to our hospital through the Emergency service, your pet will always be seen by an ER doctor first. That doctor will assess what is going on with your pet and work with you to come up with viable treatment options aimed at stabilizing your pet’s condition. Please note that this is the case even if you have been referred to Angell for specialty care by another facility or if you are presenting with an avian or exotic pet. If, after assessing the situation, Angell’s ER doctor feels that involving a specialist is warranted, they will coordinate a doctor-to-doctor consultation with the appropriate specialist. If this step is taken, there will be a charge associated with that consult to account for the specialist’s time. Once complete, the two doctors will work together to determine the best course of care for your pet and the ER doctor will communicate the recommended steps to you (…which may include a follow up appointment with that specialty at a later date). Clients should not expect to confer directly with a specialist when being seen through the ER.
What’s next?
Depending on the nature of your case, your pet may be able to be seen, treated and discharged quickly from our Emergency service. In other cases though, where hospitalization is recommended/required, your vet will work with you to come up with a treatment plan that is in keeping with your wishes. Once your pet is in stable condition, follow up with your local vet or one of our specialty services may also be recommended. Angell is committed to working with our clients to establish treatment plans that are within their means. Please refer to our Payments / Financial Assistance page for more information about the resources that may be available to you.
If follow up with an Angell Specialty Service is advised, please call (617) 522-7282 during regular business hours to speak with our Communications Center. They will assist you in determining the next steps for follow up care and scheduling the necessary appointments.
Angell Boston Outpatient Appointments
When coming to Angell for a scheduled visit, there are a few things that we like you to keep in mind to help us ensure that everyone’s time is maximized and your pet receives the care they need.
Pre-Visit
In advance of your appointment, it’s always a good idea to have any pertinent medical records from other veterinary facilities sent along to Angell so that we can have an accurate understanding of your pet’s medical history. Having these records sent at least 48 hour prior to your visit is a key step in helping us to provide accurate and efficient care. Records can be faxed or emailed directly to whatever Angell service you are seeing. Contact info for each can be found here: Angell Services.
Arrival/Check-In
- Please make every effort to arrive on time to your pet’s appointment. Since appointments are booked back to back, lateness may result in us having to rebook if there isn’t enough time for your pet to be seen. Arriving a few minutes early to allow time for check in is strongly encouraged.
- If you are running late to your appointment, we ask that you please call to let us know whenever possible (617-522-7282). Our staff will be able to alert your veterinarian and discuss your options.
- When you arrive for a scheduled outpatient appointment, please wait in the green line for an available Client Care Specialist or feel free to use our automated Check-in kiosks.
- Please refer to our Client Policies page to view information about our Late Cancellation / No Show policy.
- If your pet requires prescriptions refills, we suggest asking for those at the outset of your appointment in order to expedite check out. Alternatively, requesting refills online a few days in advance of your visit is also a great way to ensure they are ready to pick up after your appointment.
Safety First
- We understand that visiting a veterinary clinic can be stressful for some pets. Even pets that are gentle and sweet at home can become anxious and defensive when under that stress. To ensure we are considering the safety of both your pet and our staff, we may require your pet to be medicated or muzzled in order to provide care. We encourage you to work with your primary veterinarian to make a plan that sets your pet up for success prior to your visit. If this is the first time your pet is being seen, we will do our best to safely treat your pet however a second visit may be required if that is not possible.
- For the safety of all our patients, we require that all animals be kept on leashes or in carriers during your visit to Angell. It’s important to remember that a veterinary waiting room environment can provoke unexpected behaviors in your pet and others. Utilizing well-fitting equipment (harnesses, collars, etc.) is key to making sure your pet is safe at all times. Retractable flex leads, while a good way to give your dog some freedom on walks, are not appropriate in a hospital setting. Here is a helpful link on Cat Carrier Best Practices.
- If, for the reasons stated above, you feel like your pet would be more comfortable in a private room than in our waiting areas, please let the staff at our Front Desk know. They will be able to direct you accordingly if a room is available.
Pro Tips
- Be sure to follow any pre-visit instructions that you have been given by our team (fecal samples for new pets, fasting directions, etc.).
- Make sure you know the specific details about your pet’s diet. Unsure of the name? Take a photo of the package(s) in advance of your visit!
Check Out
When your visit with our technician/veterinarian is complete, please make sure that you are checking out at the desk as you leave. The yellow line is for appointment check outs. Please make sure that you are taking time for this step. This is a necessary part of our process for closing your visit and maintaining the integrity of your pet’s medical record.
Payment is due at the time of service. Unsettled bills will incur a billing fee.
Angell Boston Procedures / Hospitalization
If your pet needs to be admitted to Angell Boston, our goal is to make your time apart as stress free as we possibly can. With that in mind, we ask that you review all of the information below so you can best understand what to expect at each stage of their stay.
Admitting to the Hospital
- When dropping off for a procedure or hospitalization, we ask that you expect to spend about an hour at our facility. The number of procedures that a facility like Angell manages from day to day can be very variable. In order to onboard them all in a manner that does not compromise our standard of care, there are times when certain patients will have to wait while we begin treatments on others. While we would like to be able to give you a to-the-minute estimate of when we’d like you to arrive, the variability of cases coming from our Emergency service makes this impossible.
- Upon arrival, please make your way to the Dark Blue line in the lobby.
- Please be sure that you have followed the fasting and pre-admission instructions that were provided to you by our staff in advance of your visit. Failure to do so could result in our need to reschedule your visit to another day.
- You will be asked to sign an estimate and our Standard Consent form prior to admitting your pet. When time permits, these will be emailed to you in advance of your visit.
- It is our standard policy to ask for the low end of the estimate or 50% of the high end (whichever is higher) to be prepaid at the time of admit. Please review the Payments page of this site for more information on this process.
- A note about estimates: While an estimate is a tool that we use to define the expected scope of costs for care, it should by no means be considered a ‘quote’ or guarantee. With the variable nature of patient care, the possibility always exists that initial expectations will need to evolve as your pet’s time in the hospital progresses. Angell is committed to making every effort to keep costs in line with expectations and communicating with you about ongoing costs for care should circumstances change during your pet’s stay.
- You should not plan to admit your pet with any belongings from your home. Angell cannot manage personal belongings for all of our patients. Carriers, toys, beds, blankets should all be left at home. Items left at Angell will not be returned. Please refer to our Client Policies page for more information about this policy.
- The only time you should bring medications or food to Angell for your pet is when you have been instructed to do so by our staff. In the event that happens, the food or medications that you bring must be in their original packaging and must have your pet’s name on them.
During Your Pet’s Stay
- While your pet is in the hospital, Angell’s staff will make every effort to keep the lines of communication with you open. Our veterinary staff, Care Coordinators, Communication Center staff are all committed to providing you with updates whenever possible. We ask that you please consider our other patients and try to refrain from continually reaching out for information. We completely empathize with how stressful it can be when your pet is away from your family and in our care, but ask for your trust in our abilities to manage communications with all of our clients in an order that is most appropriate for patient care.
- With regards to the possibility of VISITING with your pet while they are in the hospital, we ask that you please refer to our Client Policies page for more information about that process.
Discharging from the Hospital
- When coming to the hospital to discharge your pet from Angell, we ask (again) that you expect to spend about an hour at our facility. While we likely will have given you a specific time when your pet will be ready to go home, it’s important to remember that certain parts of the discharge process cannot begin until you arrive to pick them up.
- Upon arrival, please make your way to the Dark Blue line in the lobby.
- The staff at our Front Desk will present you with a copy of your pet’s discharge paperwork. We ask that you please review this information prior to leaving with your pet so any questions regarding their care can be asked prior to your departure.
- The staff at our Front Desk will also work with you to settle your account at this time. In the event the charges for your visit were lower than your initial pre-payment, that staff will initiate the process of crediting your account. If there is payment due, for the amount outstanding beyond the initial pre-payment, they will collect that at this time.
- As soon as possible after that, our staff will reunite you with your pet, present you with any medications that are going home with you, and give you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about next steps.
