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After a pandemic-induced delay of nearly a year, construction is finally underway on what will be DeLand’s second animal hospital that will eventually be open 24 hours a day.
Animal Emergency Hospital DeLand (AEHD) — an ultramodern, 7,500-square-foot clinic at 2100 E. New York Ave., on the southeast corner with Kepler Road, one of the area’s busiest intersections — is a sister facility to Animal Emergency Hospital Volusia in Ormond Beach. The new facility was originally scheduled to be open by now after ground was broken last June.
Now, the opening is slated for the beginning of 2022, a spokeswoman said.
Initially, pet patients will be welcome at AEHD on a walk-in basis nights, weekends and holidays, and the facility will move to 24/7 hours as the hospital grows.
A competing 24/7 animal emergency hospital is on North Woodland Boulevard on DeLand’s north side.
In a news release announcing the groundbreaking last year, co-owner Diane Johnson, D.V.M., said she and partner Tania Marchand, M.D., chose DeLand because the area is “growing and currently underserved.”
STILL EARLY IN THE PROCESS — Although most of the exterior walls are up, there is still plenty of work to do on getting Animal Emergency Hospital DeLand open for business, as shown in this early-May photo. Although ground was officially broken last June, construction was on hold until April because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our philosophy of practice has been to care for each pet and family as individuals, offering them the most appropriate treatment for their situation. We do this by having an amazing team and staying on top of advancements in medicine, technology, and communication systems,” Johnson said in the release. “We intend to not only be contributing members of our new community, but also provide jobs and resources for those who love animals as we do.”
Johnson and Marchand also co-own Animal Emergency Hospital Volusia in Ormond Beach. Now that walls are going up on the sister facility in DeLand, Johnson is even more excited.
“Our new facility will make it possible for us to provide a variety of treatments and technologies not commonly available in this area,” she said in a more recent news release.
When it opens early next year, AEHD will offer a modern, warm reception area with separate coffee, lounge and work zones for privacy and comfort; a client comfort room with a living-room vibe and direct access to an exterior garden for those private moments needed with a pet; and a trailer pull-through (rollup door) with direct access to a specialized treatment zone for larger animals.
The facility will also feature top-of-the-line mechanical and ventilation systems, including increased fresh air, antimicrobial and separate air zones for treatment, client and animal wards; a progressive surgical center, including two operating rooms; and a radiology and imaging center, including CT, ultrasound X-ray, endoscopy and echocardiography services.
For more information or to check construction updates, go to animalervolusia.com. To make a referral, call 386-252-0206 or email the facility at info@animalervolusia.com.
WORK IN PROGRESS HERE — A construction worker gets ready for more materials to be brought into Animal Emergency Hospital DeLand as the building starts taking shape on DeLand’s east side in early May.
