WILSON, N.C., November 1, 2023 — Vets Pets, a North Carolina cooperative network of veterinary hospitals, announces the opening of its newly constructed 17,000 sq ft facility for Points East Veterinary Specialty Hospital. The hospital was designed with both pets and their parents in mind.
The new building is a 4-minute drive from the old location with convenient regional access right off an exit of the intersection of I-95 and future I-587. The facility will soon introduce CT imaging to its diagnostics, marking it as the first veterinary hospital east of Raleigh with this capability for dogs and cats.
This addition, coupled with a cutting-edge surgery suite, means Points East can offer unparalleled surgical treatments for vertebral and spinal traumas, services they previously had to refer to other hospitals. Points East also expanded its Isolation Unit, now offering ICU-level treatments for more pets facing infectious diseases.
“We designed our facility with our incredible team in mind,” commented Steve Thomas, CEO of Vets Pets. “With its expansive natural light, comfortable break zones, and private office spaces, we are primed to draw top-tier veterinary professionals to Eastern NC.”
As the region’s pet owners demand superior care, the facility has room to expand, promising even more specialties and services. In alignment with its two-decade legacy, the hospital remains closely knit with the general practices it has collaborated with.
“We believe healthcare’s success, whether human or veterinary, hinges on a cohesive team approach,” said Paige Harrington, DVM, Vice President of Medical Leadership of Vets Pets. “We are more than just a hospital; we are a community partner, ever flexible, ensuring a wide spectrum of care tailored for our community’s pets.”
Points East was created by a local veterinary visionary, Dr. Frank Batten, in 2006 in a 2,500 sq ft industrial complex formerly known as Eastern Carolina Veterinary Emergency Treatment Services (ECVETS). A year later, Dr. Batten formed Vets Pets with his son-in-law and now CEO Steve Thomas. ECVETS was one of the two founding practices of Vets Pets. In 2010, Vets Pets bought and renovated a 5,100 sq ft vacant restaurant and moved ECVETS into its current location. In 2015, Vets Pets renovated the facility, added specialty surgery services, and Points East was born. In 2019, Vets Pets renovated the facility again and expanded into a 24/7/365 emergency and critical care facility and rebranded all services under the Points East name.
“Soon after converting to a 24-hour specialty hospital, we started to feel space constrained,” Thomas said. “We then started to plan for this new facility on a nearby site we purchased for this purpose 15 years ago in hopes we would one day recognize this dream and potential.”
For more information or to schedule an interview with Dr. Harrington or Vets Pets CEO Steve Thomas, please contact Matt Mumpower by email at mattmumpower@thevetspets.com or by phone at 252.237.1375.
About Vets Pets
Vets Pets is a cooperative group of small-animal veterinary hospitals all located in North Carolina. Based in Wilson, North Carolina, Vets Pets was created to address the changing needs in the veterinary profession. By providing hands-on operations management, HR support, continued education, advanced technology and resources, it enables veterinarians to focus on medical excellence in a supportive and healthy hospital culture.
Whether veterinarians are looking to join one of their existing practices, launch a new practice, acquire an existing practice or transition out of practice ownership, Vets Pets’ role in the business is flexible. It invests in people, equipment and facilities with the long-term in mind, and works with veterinary partners to match strengths and interests with the right business opportunity. For entrepreneurial veterinary leaders, Vets Pets forms partnerships where it co-owns practices with veterinarians. For more information, visit the Vets Pets website and our Facebook and LinkedIn pages.