Levittown Animal Hospital announced today that they will be hosting their first Open House & Expo on Sunday, October 25th from 11am to 3pm at their Hempstead Turnpike location. The open house will celebrate the veterinary hospital's addition of a new veterinarian and their expansion of office hours to include Sundays. This expansion will make Levittown Animal Hospital the only dog & cat hospital in the Levittown / East Meadow area open seven days a week.
The Open House & Expo has been organized to reflect Levittown Animal Hospital’s mission of client education. Invited guests include representatives from local animal rescue groups, pet food manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, pet insurance companies, and dog training groups. There will also be small lectures and workshops led by hospital employees and guest speakers, focusing on careers in animal care and veterinary medicine.
Most veterinary clinics are closed to the public on Sundays, forcing pet owners to choose between visiting an expensive emergency room, or waiting until Monday morning for their vet to open up. With the recent economic downturn, many pet owners are reluctant to take a half-day off for veterinary care, or they may be working more than one job. This makes it difficult to schedule even routine care during the regular workweek.
The problem facing most veterinary facilities is finding a doctor and staff to work on Sundays. "This is one of the reasons why we actively recruited Dr. [Erika] Friedrich," explained Dr. Dennis Leon, Levittown Animal Hospital's medical director. "Not only did she come with a great medical and surgical background, but she also didn't mind working on Sundays." Dr. Friedrich recently resigned from her position as the lead emergency veterinarian at The Center for Specialized Veterinary Care in Westbury in order to pursue this career opportunity in Levittown.
News of the clinic’s new Sunday hours has been received well by locals. "Being open seven days a week will really set this hospital apart from all the others," commented Patricia Rosenberg, a Levittown resident and owner of two cats and one dog. "It's an added convenience for me, and I feel much more comfortable bringing my pets to a local vet rather than an ER doctor who I may never see or speak to again."
