The short answer
Open 24/7: Animal Referral Hospital (ARH) Canberra, 364 Fairbairn Avenue, Pialligo, (02) 6280 6344. Nights, weekends and public holidays: Animal Emergency Service (AES) Canberra, 2 Barton Highway, Lyneham, 02 6225 7257 (weekdays 6pm to 8am, 24 hours on weekends and public holidays).
For less serious problems, Walk In Clinic for Animals in Dickson offers after-hours urgent care until 10pm, and Valley Veterinary Emergency in Holder runs a weekend daytime service. Call first, every time. None of these publishes a set emergency fee, so ask for an estimate. Checked 9 November 2026.
Go now if you see any of these
- • Difficulty breathing, collapse or a seizure
- • A car accident, a dog fight, a deep wound or uncontrolled bleeding
- • A snake bite, or your dog playing with a snake
- • Eating rat bait, snail pellets, human medicine or another poison
- • Heavy panting and collapse on a hot day (possible heatstroke)
- • Excessive coughing, vomiting or diarrhoea
- • Distress or drooling after eating a bone or other object
- • Straining to urinate or pass faeces
The coughing, vomiting, bone and straining signs come from the emergency list published by Canberra Vet Hospital in Lyneham, which sends its own clients to ARH Canberra and AES Canberra after hours. If you are unsure, phone and describe what you see.
Which Canberra vets are open after hours?
Canberra has one hospital that says it is open around the clock, one emergency hospital that covers every night and weekend, and three services with narrower hours. The hours column repeats each clinic's own wording.
| Clinic | Type | Area | Address | Hours (as published) | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Referral Hospital (ARH) Canberra | 24/7 hospital | East, towards Queanbeyan | 364 Fairbairn Avenue, Pialligo ACT 2609 | Open 24 hours a day, all year round. Specialist team 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday; emergency department open all other hours, including public holidays. | (02) 6280 6344 |
| Animal Emergency Service (AES) Canberra | After-hours hospital | Northside (Lyneham) | 2 Barton Highway, Lyneham ACT 2602 | Monday to Friday 12:00am to 8:00am and 6:00pm to 12:00am. Saturday and Sunday open 24 hours. 24 hours on public holidays. No appointment required. | 02 6225 7257 |
| Walk In Clinic for Animals | After-hours urgent care | Northside (Dickson) | 490 Northbourne Avenue, Dickson ACT 2602 (the WOTSO building) | Monday to Friday 6pm to 10pm. Saturday and Sunday 8am to 10pm. No appointments. | 0482 092 824 |
| Valley Veterinary Emergency | Weekend daytime emergency | Southside (Holder) | 176 Dixon Drive, Holder ACT 2611 (at Weston Woden Animal Hospital) | Saturday 1pm to 7pm. Sunday 9am to 5pm. Cats and dogs. Call before arrival. No overnight care. | 02 6281 7111 |
| Capital Veterinary Hospital | Existing clients after hours | Southside (Phillip) | 67 Townshend Street, Phillip ACT 2606 | Emergencies for new and existing clients during business hours, which it lists as 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday. After hours for existing clients only: Monday to Friday 7pm to 7am, Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 8am, public holidays 24 hours. | (02) 6282 5522 |
Checked on each clinic's own website on 9 November 2026. Hours, names and numbers change; the clinic's own phone line always wins.
CVES is now AES Canberra
Older lists still name the Canberra Veterinary Emergency Service (CVES) in Gungahlin. Animal Emergency Service says that from 29 April 2026, CVES became AES Canberra and moved to 2 Barton Highway, Lyneham, with the same team and the same phone number, 02 6225 7257. It says the Gungahlin location is permanently closed, so do not drive there.
Which one should I go to?
- Life-threatening, any time: ARH Canberra in Pialligo, or AES Canberra in Lyneham when it is open (weekday nights from 6pm, all weekend, public holidays).
- Weekday daytime: your regular vet first. ARH Canberra is open, but its emergency department runs outside its 8am to 6pm weekday specialist hours, so call to check how it can help.
- Urgent but not life-threatening, evening or weekend, northside: Walk In Clinic for Animals in Dickson, until 10pm.
- Weekend daytime, southside: Valley Veterinary Emergency in Holder (Saturday afternoon, Sunday daytime).
- Existing Capital Veterinary Hospital clients: its own after-hours line, (02) 6282 5522.
- Queanbeyan: ARH Canberra in Pialligo is on the eastern side of Canberra, the side closest to Queanbeyan.
Walk In Clinic for Animals describes itself as working in the space between general practice and emergency referral clinics. Valley Veterinary Emergency says it does not offer overnight care and will transfer a pet that needs it. So if your pet is very unwell, or it is late at night, go straight to a hospital that is open overnight.
24/7 hospital, after-hours service or your regular vet?
| Option | When it fits | Canberra examples |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 hospital | Life-threatening problems at any hour, overnight care, emergency surgery and specialist care. | ARH Canberra, Pialligo |
| After-hours emergency hospital | Anything serious on weeknights, weekends and public holidays. | AES Canberra, Lyneham |
| Urgent care and weekend clinics | Problems that cannot wait for Monday but are not life-threatening, during their hours. | Walk In Clinic for Animals, Dickson; Valley Veterinary Emergency, Holder |
| Your regular vet | Anything during opening hours, and all follow-up care after an emergency visit. | Your own clinic |
What should I do on the way to the emergency vet?
- Call ahead so the team can prepare and confirm it can see you. Valley Veterinary Emergency asks every caller to do this so it can triage by phone.
- Secure your pet. A cat in a carrier, a dog on a lead or harness. A towel or blanket helps you lift a dog that cannot walk.
- Keep your pet still, warm and supported on the drive, and take someone with you if you can.
- Bring information: any medicine your pet takes, its vet records, and the packet of anything it ate.
- Do not give food, water or human medicine unless a vet tells you to, and do not try to make your pet vomit without a vet's advice.
A pet in pain may bite, even a gentle one, so keep your face away. At AES Canberra, patients are seen in order of how sick they are, and the hospital asks you to tell staff if you are worried while you wait. For a suspected poisoning, the Animal Poisons Helpline (1300 869 738) describes itself as a 24/7 helpline for Australian pet owners; its site lists consultations from $79 (read 9 November 2026, not a quote).
Which Canberra emergencies should I know about?
Snake bites: go now
The ACT Government says eight snake species live in the ACT, that the eastern brown snake is the most common one seen in ACT gardens, and that snakes in the ACT are most active from October to March. It advises moving pets and children away from a snake and keeping pets well away from snakes. The RSPCA Knowledgebase says to seek emergency treatment as soon as you know or suspect a bite, keep the animal calm and quiet, and never try to catch or kill the snake. Go even if your dog seems to recover.
Heatstroke: go now
Canberra summers are hot, and its winters are cold and frosty, so plan for shade and water in summer and warm bedding in winter. The RSPCA Knowledgebase calls heatstroke a life-threatening emergency. Heavy panting, drooling, wobbliness or collapse after exercise or time in a car means a hospital, now. Walk early or late on hot days, and never leave a pet in a parked car.
Baits and poisons: call and go
Rat bait, snail pellets and human medicine all need emergency care. Call as soon as you know your pet ate something, not when it starts to look unwell, and keep the packet.
Ticks: a travel question
We found no ACT Government source describing paralysis ticks as a Canberra risk, so we do not claim one. The RSPCA Knowledgebase says the paralysis tick is generally found on the eastern seaboard, so ask your vet about prevention before a trip to the coast. Wobbly back legs, a changed bark or meow, retching or breathing trouble are signs of tick paralysis, which is an emergency.
Thinking about adopting in Canberra?
RSPCA ACT animals are vet examined, desexed and microchipped where appropriate before adoption. Browse current listings, and save your nearest after-hours vet the day your new pet comes home.
How much does an emergency vet cost in Canberra?
Emergency care is expensive, and none of the Canberra services we checked publishes a set emergency consultation fee, so we do not quote one. What the hospitals do say:
- AES Canberra: there is a consultation fee for every pet examined, a set fee you can get by calling. The vet then discusses further costs and gives you an estimate for your consent. A deposit is required, and all fees are due when your pet is discharged.
- Animal Emergency Service fees page: public holiday consultations attract a surcharge, and a hospital stay needs a deposit of the estimated treatment cost.
- ARH Canberra: says it works with you and your regular vet to find the best treatment option for your pet. Its page does not list fees, so ask for an estimate.
Payment options the hospitals list
- Animal Emergency Service: cash, EFTPOS, BPOINT and an online payment gateway, plus VetPay finance, which you can apply for on the spot after choosing a treatment option.
VetPay is a credit product with its own terms and fees. Read them before you sign, and only borrow what you can repay. Pet insurance only helps if it is in place before the emergency, so decide on it early. For charity and low-cost vet options, see our guide to cheap vet care in Australia.
These are the hospitals' own descriptions of their fees and payment options, read on 9 November 2026. They are not a quote. Ask the hospital for an estimate for your pet.
What about rabbits, birds and reptiles?
Walk In Clinic for Animals says all pets are welcome, naming dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds and reptiles, within its evening and weekend hours. Valley Veterinary Emergency treats cats and dogs and says care for exotic pets is case-dependent, so call first. For any animal that is not a dog or cat, ring before you drive.
Set this up before you need it
The worst time to search for an emergency vet is in the car with a sick pet. It matters most in the first weeks after adoption, when you do not yet know what is normal for your new dog or cat.
- Save two numbers in your phone: ARH Canberra, (02) 6280 6344, and AES Canberra, 02 6225 7257.
- Check the microchip details. Make sure the chip is registered in your name with a current phone number, and register your dog or cat with the ACT Government, which you can do through the Pet Registration Portal or Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
- Keep the rescue's vet records handy. Vaccination dates, desexing date and any known conditions help a vet who has never met your pet.
- Book a regular vet early, and ask what it does after hours. Some, like Capital Veterinary Hospital, run after-hours care for their own clients.
- Decide about insurance now, not after the first emergency.
- Plan for snake season and summer: keep the yard tidy, walk dogs on lead near long grass, and lock away baits and medicines.
RSPCA ACT says every animal available for adoption is desexed and microchipped where appropriate, examined by a vet, and given flea, tick and worm treatment, so ask for those records when you adopt. Our best dog rescues in Canberra guide covers RSPCA ACT, Domestic Animal Services and the foster-based rescues, the Queanbeyan pound guide covers the NSW side, and if your pet goes missing, see lost pets in Canberra. Heading to Sydney with your dog? Our emergency vets in Sydney guide lists the 24/7 hospitals there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vet in Canberra is open 24 hours?
Animal Referral Hospital (ARH) Canberra at 364 Fairbairn Avenue, Pialligo, is the Canberra hospital that says it is open 24 hours a day, all year round, on (02) 6280 6344. Its specialist team works 8am to 6pm on weekdays and its emergency department is open all other hours, including public holidays. Call before you drive.
Is there an after-hours vet on Canberra's northside?
Yes. Animal Emergency Service (AES) Canberra at 2 Barton Highway, Lyneham, is open midnight to 8am and 6pm to midnight on weekdays, and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays, on 02 6225 7257. Walk In Clinic for Animals at 490 Northbourne Avenue, Dickson, offers after-hours urgent care from 6pm to 10pm on weekdays and 8am to 10pm on weekends, on 0482 092 824.
Is there a weekend emergency vet on Canberra's southside?
Valley Veterinary Emergency runs a weekend daytime emergency service for cats and dogs from Weston Woden Animal Hospital, 176 Dixon Drive, Holder: Saturday 1pm to 7pm and Sunday 9am to 5pm, on 02 6281 7111. It asks you to call before arriving and does not offer overnight care. Outside those hours, go to ARH Canberra or AES Canberra.
What happened to the Canberra Veterinary Emergency Service (CVES)?
From 29 April 2026, CVES became Animal Emergency Service (AES) Canberra and moved to 2 Barton Highway, Lyneham. AES says it is the same team on the same phone number, 02 6225 7257, and that the old Gungahlin location is permanently closed.
Is the Walk In Clinic for Animals an emergency hospital?
Not quite. Walk In Clinic for Animals in Dickson describes itself as operating in the space between general practice and emergency referral clinics, giving after-hours urgent care without appointments. It is open 6pm to 10pm on weekdays and 8am to 10pm on weekends. For a life-threatening emergency, or after 10pm, go to ARH Canberra or AES Canberra.
Which Canberra vets are open on public holidays?
ARH Canberra says its emergency department is open on public holidays, and AES Canberra says it is open 24 hours on public holidays. Capital Veterinary Hospital in Phillip lists 24 hour public holiday emergency care for its existing clients only. Walk In Clinic for Animals and Valley Veterinary Emergency do not list public holiday hours, so call first.
What counts as a vet emergency?
Trouble breathing, collapse, a seizure, a major injury, uncontrolled bleeding, eating a poison, heatstroke, a snake bite, repeated vomiting or diarrhoea, distress or drooling after eating a bone or other object, and straining to urinate or pass faeces are all emergencies. If you are unsure, phone a 24/7 or after-hours hospital and describe what you see.
How much does an emergency vet cost in Canberra?
None of the Canberra emergency services we checked publishes a set emergency consultation fee, so we do not quote one. Animal Emergency Service says a consultation fee applies, public holidays attract a surcharge, you get an estimate for treatment, and a hospital stay needs a deposit. Emergency care is expensive, so ask for an estimate before treatment starts.
Can I get a payment plan at a Canberra emergency vet?
Animal Emergency Service, which runs AES Canberra, says you can apply for VetPay finance on the spot after choosing a treatment option, and lists EFTPOS, BPOINT and an online payment gateway. VetPay is a credit product, so read the terms first, and ask any hospital on the night what it accepts.
What should I do if my dog is bitten by a snake in Canberra?
Keep your dog calm and still, call ARH Canberra or AES Canberra, and drive there straight away. The ACT Government says the eastern brown snake is the most common snake in ACT gardens and that snakes in the ACT are most active from October to March. The RSPCA Knowledgebase says to seek emergency treatment as soon as you know or suspect a bite, and never to try to catch or kill the snake.
Who can I call if my pet ate something poisonous?
Call the Animal Poisons Helpline on 1300 869 738, which describes itself as a 24/7 helpline for Australian pet owners (its site lists consultations from $79, read 9 November 2026, not a quote), or call a Canberra emergency vet. Keep the packet or a photo of what was eaten, note how much and when, and do not try to make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Do Canberra dogs need paralysis tick protection?
We found no ACT Government source describing paralysis ticks as a Canberra risk, so ask your vet what suits where you walk. The RSPCA Knowledgebase says the paralysis tick is generally found on the eastern seaboard, so ask about prevention before a trip to the coast, and treat signs such as wobbly back legs or a changed bark as an emergency.
Keep exploring
Best Dog Rescues in Canberra
RSPCA ACT, Domestic Animal Services and foster-based rescues.
Cheap Vet Care in Australia
Charity vet hospitals, concession discounts and payment options.
Queanbeyan Pound
Adopting from or reclaiming a pet at the Queanbeyan facility.
Lost Pets in Canberra
What to do first if your dog or cat goes missing.
Find your next pet in Canberra
See adoptable dogs and cats from Canberra shelters and foster-based rescues, refreshed regularly. Ask each rescue for the vet history before you bring your new pet home.