By Eleanor Cade Busby
Dr. Stacey Contakos shows off the surgical suite at the new Midcoast Animal Emergency Clinic in Warren on Friday, May 22. (Eleanor Cade Busby photo) |
The Midcoast Animal Emergency Clinic is now open at 191 Camden Rd. in Warren. (Eleanor Cade Busby photo) |
The Midcoast Animal Emergency Clinic opened its doors Friday, May 22. The new, state-of-the-art veterinary clinic is located at 191 Camden Road in Warren, in the building
formerly occupied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
The after-hours clinic was the idea of Dr. Stacey Contakos and Dr. Bjorn Lee, who recognized the need for a walk-in clinic available on nights, weekends, and
holidays. They reached out to fellow veterinarians from Boothbay to Northport, and 14 veterinarians eventually became investors in the new clinic.
The building was purchased and is owned by Lee, of PenBay Veterinary Associates, and Dr. Dean Domeyer, of the Boothbay Animal Hospital. The business is owned by a
corporation that includes the member veterinarians, who hold shares based on their investment.
“We are not planning on making a fortune, just to break even and to provide a greatly needed service to the animals and owners in the area,” Contakos said.
“Providing excellent care is our only concern.”
On Friday morning, Contakos was working in the building to prepare for the opening that afternoon. “This clinic is the first of its kind for the area,” she said. “It
will mean we can provide all of our animal patients assistance anytime, day or night.”
The veterinarians will all take shifts at the clinic, which is staffed at all open hours. “We hired a staff veterinarian for 40 hours a week, so we will all take a
shift every two weeks,” Contakos said. This will mean a lot to Contakos, who is expecting her fourth child in October. “I can take a real maternity leave,” she said.
The staff veterinarian is Dr. Christy Peters, a native of New Gloucester. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, where she graduated summa
cum laude, and went on to attend the University of Missouri, College Of Veterinary Medicine.
She practiced general veterinary medicine for several years before recognizing a calling in emergency medicine. Her special interests include neonatal medicine,
ultra-sonography, and emergency surgery.
Peters will work 40 hours each week. Rotating shifts will be taken by Drs. Carissa Bielamowciz, Justin Blake, Stacey Contakos, Dean Domeyer, Laurie Howarth, Dmitriy
Kopytnik, Bjorn Lee, Mimi Moore, Kerri Padgett, Heidi Sproul, Karin Tichy, Kellie Wedge, Christine Welch, and Glenn Yovino.
The clinic is equipped with two exam rooms, a complete surgical suite, and brand new digital imaging equipment. It will also provide comprehensive in-house blood
chemistry, complete blood count testing, ultrasound, and a pharmacy. The intensive care unit has an adjoining room for the veterinarian on duty and includes a sleeping area.
The Midcoast Animal Emergency Clinic provides participating veterinary hospitals a place to transfer animals in need of vigilant supervision in the overnight and
weekend hours. This will offer animals intensive care and allow the veterinarians the ability to rest easy, knowing their sickest animals are being monitored all night.
In the past, an animal with severe illness or injury would mean visits and travel in the middle of the night for the staff of the local clinics. This may often still
be the case, but this option, with no emergency service fees assessed to the pet owners, can be a cost- and time-saving measure for everyone.
The clinic will accept cash, local checks with ID, all major credit cards, and Care Credit.
Although appointments are not needed at the clinic, calling ahead at 273-1100 will allow the staff to be on alert for the urgent needs of the pet being brought for
treatment. It is not necessary to be an existing patient of the veterinary practices that participate to bring an animal in urgent need to the clinic.
Participating businesses include All Creatures Veterinary Hospital, Atlantic Veterinary Care, Blake Veterinary Hospital, Boothbay Animal Hospital, Coastal Veterinary Care, Damariscotta Veterinary Clinic, Harbor Road Veterinary Hospital, Medomak Veterinary Services, and PenBay Veterinary Associates.
Clinic hours are weeknights from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. The clinic is open 24 hours a day every Saturday and Sunday and on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July Fourth,
Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
An open house is being planned for late June. The public is invited to visit the new facility at that time. More information about the clinic may be found on
Facebook or at www.midcoastaec.com.
(Editor’s note: This text has been revised to correct the listed phone number and to add Boothbay Animal Hospital to the list of participating businesses.)