Emergency Vets in Auckland: 24/7 and After-Hours Hospitals

Which Auckland emergency vets are open right now?

The table lists the clinics across the Auckland region that take emergencies. Four say they never close. The other three are after-hours services that open when regular clinics shut. Hours are copied from each clinic's own page.

Each clinic's website, read on 9 November 2026. Hours change, so always phone first.

Notes on the list

• One phone number for each group. ARC lists 09 281 5815 for both hospitals, and Animal Emergency at VSA asks you to call 09 849 2121 so it can tell you the current hospital status and direct your visit.
• VSA Auckland West. VSA's own pages disagree. Its home page and FAQ call both Auckland hospitals 24-hour, but its hospitals page says the Henderson emergency service runs out of hours only and does not take walk-in emergencies while regular clinics are open, and its Auckland West page says the emergency team there is available after hours. VSA also says its old Mt Albert emergency service has closed permanently. Call first.
• Call before you go to NSVECC and Manukau. Both websites look like they have not been updated for some years, so confirm the hours by phone. NSVECC says it is open 7 nights a week, all weekend and 24 hours on public holidays, and the Manukau clinic says it has at least one emergency vet and one vet nurse on every night.
• Western After Hours, Avondale. Some Auckland clinics, such as Vets at 77, list a Western After Hours clinic in Avondale on 09 820 7273. Its own website gives that number and lists Monday to Thursday 6pm to 8am, Saturday 12 noon to Monday 8am and public holidays 24 hours, but its Friday hours are unclear and the site does not look recently maintained, so we have left it out of the table. Phone before you go.
• Rodney. Warkworth Vets says it has a duty vet after hours until 10pm on (09) 425 8244, and that small animal emergencies after 10pm need to go to ARC, calling 09 281 5815 before you leave home.

Which one is closest to me?

• City centre, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn and the inner suburbs: ARC Central in Freemans Bay.
• Mt Wellington, Ellerslie, Panmure and the eastern suburbs: VSA Sylvia Park.
• North Shore: ARC North in Schnapper Rock, or NSVECC in Glenfield after hours.
• Hibiscus Coast and Rodney: ARC North is the closest 24/7 hospital on this list; in Warkworth, the duty vet until 10pm.
• Kumeu, Huapai, Riverhead and the north-west: 111 Vet Clinic in Kumeu.
• West Auckland: VSA Auckland West in Henderson after hours. In the daytime, when your own vet cannot help, the closest 24/7 options on this list are 111 Vet Clinic in Kumeu and ARC Central.
• South Auckland and Botany: Manukau After Hours at night, or VSA Sylvia Park at any hour.
• Franklin and Pukekohe: ask your regular vet now how it handles after-hours calls. The closest clinics on this list are in Manukau and Mt Wellington.

24/7 hospital, after-hours clinic or your regular vet?

A practical rule: if your regular vet is open and can see you soon, call them first, because they know your pet. If they are closed, cannot fit you in, or the problem is on the “go now” list below, go to the nearest emergency clinic. Emergency clinics triage, so the sickest animals are seen first and a stable pet may wait. VSA warns that a shortage of vets and nurses can make waits longer, and suggests bringing a phone charger, water and snacks.

When is it an emergency? Go now

North Shore Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care lists signs that may mean an emergency, including:

• Retching that brings nothing up
• Difficulty breathing
• Any significant bleeding
• Refusing or unable to walk, or dragging the back legs
• Any toxin or poison eaten
• Staggering or disorientation
• Blood in the urine, or straining to urinate (watch male cats making repeated trips to the litter box)
• Difficulty giving birth
• Seizures, or profuse or repeated vomiting

It says the list is not complete, and that if an attentive owner is worried there usually is something that needs a vet. For rabbits, guinea pigs and birds, it says any change such as harder breathing, loss of appetite or less movement is worth a call to an emergency service.

Which Auckland emergencies should I know about?

These are the urgent risks that official New Zealand sources warn about.

Toxic sea slugs on beaches: call your vet now

In a November 2020 warning, still its latest sea slug notice we could find, Auckland Council said the grey side-gilled sea slug, which is native to New Zealand, carries a toxin called tetrodotoxin and was linked to dog deaths on Auckland beaches in 2009. Its advice then: sea slugs may be on any beach, keep pets supervised and away from sea life, and if you believe your dog has licked or eaten a sea slug, contact your vet immediately. You can report sightings to the council on 09 301 0101.

1080 bait in parks and forests: go now

The Department of Conservation says dogs are highly susceptible to 1080 poisoning, and that eating baits or poisoned possums, rats or stoats is usually fatal. Most deaths come from eating carcasses rather than bait. DOC puts warning signs at track entrances where poison has been laid, and says dogs should stay out until the carcasses have broken down, usually four to eight months. If you think your dog has eaten bait or a carcass, call the vet, say you suspect 1080, and go immediately: DOC says there is no antidote, but dogs can sometimes be saved if action is taken early. DOC's page also lists first-aid steps; read it before you take your dog into a forest park.

Toxic algae in lakes and streams: go now

LAWA (Land, Air, Water Aotearoa), run with New Zealand's regional councils, says dogs are at the greatest risk from toxic algae because they play and scavenge in water. If you suspect your dog has eaten toxic algae, it says to treat it as an emergency and contact your vet immediately. Signs include lethargy, muscle tremors, rapid breathing, twitching, paralysis and convulsions. Keep your dog out of water that looks like pea soup or has brown or black mats on the rocks.

Heat

Auckland summers are humid. The SPCA lists the signs of heat stress as excessive panting, drooling or hyperventilating, and seeking shade. Never leave a dog in a parked car. If you see a dog in a hot car, the SPCA says to act immediately and call the SPCA on 0800 SPCA NZ or the Police. A dog that collapses or cannot settle after heat needs a vet now.

What should I do on the way to the emergency vet?

1. Call the clinic first. Say what happened, your pet's species, size and age, and when you will arrive. The team can prepare, and may send you to a different hospital if one is busy.
2. Keep yourself safe. A frightened or hurt animal can bite, even a gentle one. Move slowly and keep your face away from its mouth.
3. Carry your pet safely. Put cats and small dogs in a carrier. Lift a larger dog on a towel, blanket or board held by two people, keeping the back straight if it cannot walk.
4. Bring what you can grab in a minute. Any packet, plant or bait your pet ate, a photo of the sea slug or algae from a safe distance, and any medicines your pet takes.
5. Do not give human medicines. Many are toxic to dogs and cats. Give nothing by mouth unless the vet tells you to.
6. Have a second person drive if you can, so someone can watch your pet.

How much does an emergency vet cost in Auckland?

Emergency care is expensive, and the consultation is only the start. One Auckland emergency service publishes its consultation prices; the others ask you to call.

Published reference prices read on the VSA Animal Emergency pricing page on 9 November 2026, in New Zealand dollars. They are not a quote and can change; ask the clinic for an estimate before treatment starts.

What the clinics publish about paying:

• Animal Emergency at VSA: accepts cash, Eftpos, Visa, Mastercard and Amex, Q Card and Afterpay, with payment plans for approved applicants through humm, Q Card finance and Pet Funders. It does not offer direct insurance claims, so you pay up front and claim later. Its FAQ asks you to talk to staff about financial difficulty.
• ARC Vets: gives a written estimate during the consultation; payment is due at the consultation, and most admitted patients need a 50% deposit. It says a 1.5% surcharge applies to some transactions, including credit cards, Paywave and Afterpay. It has no in-house payment plans but lists Smartcover and MTF Finance, and direct insurance claims for some Petcover clients and, through GapOnly, eligible AA and SPCA clients.
• NSVECC: emergency care is paid for when the service is given, a detailed estimate is made if your pet is admitted with a 50% deposit, and it mentions Pet Funders as a pet loan option.
• Manukau After Hours: says finance options are available and that it takes Afterpay.

Afterpay, Q Card, humm, Pet Funders, Smartcover and MTF Finance are credit or finance products, each with its own fees, limits and approval checks. Read the terms before you sign. VSA notes that insurers cannot approve claims after hours, so the best time to sort out how you would pay is before an emergency, with pet insurance or a savings buffer.

What about injured wildlife and stray animals?

For a sick or injured native animal, call the Department of Conservation hotline, 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468). DOC says to contact your local SPCA or a wildlife rehabilitator for non-native wildlife. VSA's FAQ adds that for an injured cat or dog whose owner cannot be found, you can call the SPCA (09 256 7300) or Auckland Council Animal Management for dogs (09 301 0101); if nobody can attend, bring the animal to the nearest open vet to be checked for a microchip, and VSA says you will not have to pay for that care. It asks people not to bring healthy stray or feral cats to an emergency vet.

Set this up before you need it

• Save two numbers: the closest 24/7 hospital from the table and your nearest after-hours clinic.
• Know the drive at night. Auckland's motorways and the Harbour Bridge change which clinic is really closest; check the route at the hours you are likely to need it.
• Keep a carrier and an old towel where you can reach them quickly.
• Know your pet's weight, medicines and microchip number, or keep a photo of the adoption paperwork on your phone.
• Decide how you would pay a large bill, and read any insurance policy's waiting periods and after-hours cover before you rely on it.

If you are adopting, ask the rescue for the dog's or cat's vet history and which parasite treatments are due. Rescue pets usually arrive desexed, microchipped and vaccinated, so the emergency kit is the next job. Our best dog rescues in Auckland guide lists the groups we track, and if your new dog ever slips out, our Auckland lost and found pets page is the place to start. Heading south? See our Hamilton emergency vet guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep exploring