ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Local animal hospital Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services will officially close its doors at the end of November, according to a statement from the business.

The business — located on White Spruce Blvd. — says a recent loss of qualified ER doctors mixed with challenges in hiring new ones has prevented VSES to provide effective care for patients.

VSES says they tried many routes to be able to stay in service, but with a shortage of candidates with experience, they say there were “limited options” to find a solution.

“We recognize that the closure of this hospital is a huge loss to the community and our team members, and the decision to close was one of the most difficult ones we’ve made as a company,” Thrive Pet Healthcare said in a statement.

Back in January 2022, VSES announced they would no longer be providing overnight veterinary services.

At the beginning of August, the organization announced they would be reducing their hours to close at 10 p.m., saying they did not have the resources to provide overnight care.

Starting Friday, VSES says they will be open Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Officials say until they close, they promise to continue serving to community with a reliable schedule of care for patients.

VSES’ says their last day will be no later than November 27.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT FROM VSES:

To our Rochester community:

With a heavy heart, we want to share that we have made the incredibly difficult decision to close the VSES hospital. Our last operating day will be no later than November 27th, 2023.

Despite our efforts to explore various solutions to remain operational, including recruitment and staffing rotations with doctors from other clinics in the area, the shortage of qualified candidates with emergency and surgical care experience has left us with limited options.

In the meantime, we are committed to continuing to serve our community as long as we can ensure a reliable schedule of care for our patients.

Starting this Friday, August 25th, VSES will be open from Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

If your pet has been the patient at our Specialty veterinary care services and you wish to receive a copy of your pet’s records via email, please contact vses.petrecords@thrivepet.com. Your pet’s medical records will be available in our system and can be forwarded even after our hospital’s end date.

If your pet is experiencing an emergency outside of our operating hours, please contact Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center at 716 662 6660 (press option 2) or Green Acres Veterinary Center at 716 694 0122.

It has been our pleasure serving you and your beloved pets. Thank you for trusting us with your pet’s emergency and specialty healthcare needs.

Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services Team