We, the undersigned residents of San Angelo and surrounding communities, respectfully petition the veterinary clinics serving our city to collaborate on a rotating schedule of on-call and after-hours emergency veterinary services.

Our town is home to approximately 100,000 residents and thousands of companion animals. Until recently, emergency veterinary care was available locally. Following the recent discontinuation of after hours emergency services that previously existed, our community now faces a critical gap in care.

At present, pet owners experiencing emergencies outside of normal business hours are forced to travel approximately 1.5 hours to Abilene, TX. That city must already meet the emergency needs of its own population, and the added burden of patients from our community creates strain for providers and unnecessary delays in care. In emergency situations, time is often the difference between life and death.

We recognize and respect the immense demands placed on veterinary professionals, including staffing challenges, burnout, and the emotional toll of emergency medicine. This petition does not seek to place the burden on any single clinic. Instead, we are requesting a cooperative rotation among 13 veterinary clinics in our community—where each clinic would provide emergency or on-call coverage for a limited, scheduled period (such as one week at a time). 13 is a perfect number, providing each clinic the opportunity of carrying this shared responsibility just 4 weeks per year.

A shared rotation would:

Reduce the strain on individual clinics
Provide predictable scheduling for staff
Restore critical emergency access for local pets
Strengthen trust and goodwill between veterinary professionals and the community they serve
Emergency veterinary care is not a luxury—it is an essential service for a community of our size. We believe that through collaboration, a sustainable and fair solution is possible.

We respectfully ask local veterinary clinics to come together, open a dialogue, and explore the feasibility of a rotating emergency care model that serves both providers and the community.

Signed,
Concerned Pet Owners and Community Members