Veterinary clinic in Alès now open 24 hours a day with new emergency service at night

Les vétérinaires prennent désormais en charge leurs patients sans interruption. Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

AlesVet, clinique vétérinaire situé le long de la rocade, est ouverte 24 h/24 à partir de ce lundi 13 janvier. Un service jusque-là inédit dans le Bassin pour accueillir les animaux blessés ou malades en urgence pendant la nuit.

This is a first in the Alès metropolitan area. Established since July 2024 in new premises on the former Chemin de Mons, near the Alès ring road, the AlesVet veterinary clinic is offering 24-hour accessibility for its four-legged patients from Monday, January 13.

React quickly after the accident

A unique service in the Alès basin: “This is the only night-time veterinary service in this part of the Gard”, emphasizes Benjamin Masnou, co-founder of the clinic. The closest one offering an equivalent level of care is in Nîmes. From 7pm to 8am every night, the clinic welcomes all animals requiring emergency care. All types of pathologies are taken into account.“This can concern road accidents, such as an animal hit by a car, but also complicated births, bites by other animals, cats falling from a window or balcony, hunting dog accidents”, explains Benjamin Masnou, veterinarian and co-founder of the clinic.

During the day, the clinic receives between “40 and 50 animals per day” according to veterinarian Benjamin Masnou. Midi Free – ALEXIS BETHUNE

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If needed during these hours, the owners of the animal concerned must first contact the clinic by telephone to explain the situation (04 12 05 95 55 or 06 62 76 63 21). At the other end of the line, one of the two veterinarians who will be on duty every night on site will give them instructions and invite them, if necessary, to come to the clinic for treatment. “All clients, including those who have never come to us or who are clients of other veterinarians are accepted”, specifies Benjamin Masnou. After the treatment, the clinic team will liaise with the animal's regular veterinarian.

Towards a state-of-the-art hospital ?

Arriving in 2017 in the Cévennes, Benjamin Masnou, now 40, first took over the veterinary practice in Chamborigaud, which he continues to co-manage. Since the summer of 2024, this practitioner who wanted to develop animal surgery has opened the Alès clinic. Since then, it has been made up of 17 people, including seven veterinarians who will now rotate between day and night.

A team of 10 people accompany the “vets” during consultations. Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

During the day, this modern 680 m2 space aims to offer a wide range of equipment for care and monitoring, scheduled or, so-called urban animals. Dogs and cats are the most common, but birds and “new pets” (NAC) such as snakes or turtles are also welcomed. Receiving “between 40 and 50 animals per day” on average, the clinic performs simple procedures, such as sterilization and vaccination. It also offers, in addition to operating theaters, an orthopedic department, for fractures, and also has, more rarely, ultrasound devices and a scanner for more advanced diagnostics.

The clinic has its own animal scanner. Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Several spaces are designed for longer hospitalizations. Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Spaces are dedicated to resting dogs and cats in care. Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Through the various types of care offered, and the establishment of this 24-hour service, Benjamin Masnou's team sees here “a public service mission”, the Alès basin not having had this type of reception until now. The veterinarian does not hide a certain ambition: “Our ultimate goal is to become a veterinary hospital center.” A category of structure, subject to the approval of the veterinary order council, which recognizes a hospital service and emergency reception day and night by the teams in place.

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