Speciality doctors are probably more concentrated on First Hill than anywhere else in a state or two. Soon, pets will have a hospital in the neighborhood, too.
Kirkland’s Seattle Veterinary Specialists is building out its second pet hospital at 8th and Madison in the former M Street Grocery space. The referral hospital is expected to open by September.
Medical director Jim McCutchan told CHS the hospital will have around 100 doctors and staff specializing in surgery, oncology, and emergency medicine. “This is where your vet sends you for the tough stuff,” McCutchan said.
It turns out, building a specialty pet hospital isn’t so different than building one for humans. McCutchan said the project’s $1.6 million budget reflects the costs of installing medical gas and special infrastructure for electrical, HVAC, and plumbing.
McCutchan, who also owns the Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital, said the decision to open a hospital in Seattle came down to the city’s booming population.
“Seattle is very pet friendly and they’re bringing their pets with them,” he said.
Madison’s independent urban market M Street Grocery opened in 2007 and closed four years later when owners couldn’t reach an agreement with the landlord on a new lease. The 4,500 square-feet of street level retail has remained empty since.
Veterinary medicine appears to be a growth industry in the area. In addition to existing providers like Urban Animal — here — and Broadway Pet Hospital — here — making upgrades, another new provider is also coming to Broadway’s Harvard Market. The Banfield Pet Hospital is expected to open in the Broadway at Pike shopping center later this year. It’s a much more modest undertaking than the SVS project on First Hill with a base construction budget around $350,000. The vet business isn’t necessarily the hottest service and retail industry around, however. Earlier this year, the Capitol Hill Animal Clinic closed after its longtime 15th Ave E location was snapped up by a marijuana entrepreneur.
Great news to hear that this long-dead space is coming back to life with a service lots of us need. I hope the landlord doesn’t make the life of the clinic difficult. I understand basic landlord greed drove the grocery store out a few years ago.
Another sign of the (ever-changing) times? Wealthy newcomers have more pets than children? Might as well build a high-end hospital for the critters. They will get more respect and service than people in need of healthcare.
Settle down with the class warfare thing. Most people around here who have to take their pet to an animal hospital are not part of the 1% or the tech salary elite. They have to pay vet bills on top of trying to balance everything else. Neither children or animals should suffer due to not getting medical care.
*Most* people would have their pet sedated before running up these costs. I think it’s safe to say they’re targeting the upscale crowd.
I’ve lived on Capitol Hill for 20 years and I’m sure as hell not rich. I will cop to being a crazy cat lady, though. I have a car, so the last time my cat required emergency attention, I was able to drive us up to Shoreline. (Want proof I’m not rich? It’ll be awhile before that vet bill gets paid off.) I have also transported many friends’ pets to emergency vet visits over the years.
For those who were wondering about the pet ambulance, I’ve been told by a friend in Amsterdam they’re common there. Maybe it’s a thing in places where residents rely more on public transport.
“Most people would have their pet sedated before running up these costs.” Uh, did you mean “euthanized” rather than sedated? I don’t have a lot of money but I would sell everything I own if it meant getting the best possible care for my dog if it ever comes to that. And the vast majority of people I know would do the same. I pity any pet you may be responsible for, jc. You’re a real piece of work, IMO.
Response to rageofage: Oh, puleeeeeeeeeeese. I am most assuredly NOT wealthy but my pets are very important to me. I’ve also lived in the Capitol Hill area for 2+ decades so, stop with the 1% BS already. I’m glad that this emergency hospital is opening up in this area. And with the prevalence of medical facilities (everything from Harborview to Swedish to Group Health) for humans, you can hardly claim that the “99%” are dying in the streets.
rageofage, you should have known better than to pick a fight with pet-owners, most of whom (me included) would do anything possible to get the best health care for their animal. They are not called “man’s best friend” for no reason.
Do they really transport pets in ambulances?
Yeah, I noticed the photo of the ambulance, too. It actually makes a lot of sense, though, when you think about it. If I didn’t drive and one of my pets was hit by a car, I certainly wouldn’t want to have to wait around for a taxi while hoping my bleeding pet didn’t die in the interim.
I drove a stranger and his dog, who had been hit by a car moments before I arrived, up to the Shoreline hospital from First Hill. The drive was agonizingly long, and it was a struggle to drive safely the whole way. The dog’s person was certainly in no emotional state to drive safely. A pet ambulance makes tons of sense for that reason alone.
This is very good news. I love Urban Animal and trust them completely and would take my pets here if UA advised me to do so in any emergency situation.