About ECA

The Emergency Clinic for Animals was founded in 1980 by a group of area practitioners, to provide care after hours, on weekends and on holidays for their patients.  Over the years, in response to requests of clients and needs of the veterinary referring community, many additional services were added and the hospital evolved into a 24 hour care facility.  In 2007, we opened a satellite facility in Sun Prairie to provide the same level of care to patients and practitioners in that area.

The ECA was founded by, and remains owned by, area general practitioners.  Being owned and operated by area general practitioners keeps the mission focused on providing emergent care for the animals.  These practitioners did not establish the hospital to make a profit and, instead, re-invest in keeping equipment and staff up to date at all times.

The ECA was founded to serve the community.  This is perpetuated to this day by our devotion to the unowned wildlife (injured and orphaned birds, reptiles and mammals) that are repaired, rehabilitated and released every year and, along with the Dane County Humane Society, the stray dogs and cats in need of medical care, pain relief, food and shelter. 

The ECA was also founded to allow area practitioners the ability to work days and rest on the nights and weekends, knowing their clients will have access to expert advice and responsive care, no matter the time of day or week.  The ECA serves the veterinary community, also, by providing advanced diagnostics, uncommon testing, blood products, antidotes, gas sterilization and other equipment, supplies and procedures.

Recognizing the need long ago, we established Madison's first veterinary blood bank, providing blood, plasma and other blood product components to patients and veterinary hospitals in need. 

To this day, the questions asked each day by the veterinary nurses and caregivers include "How may I make this patient comfortable and speed his/her recovery?"  The questions asked each day by the veterinarians include "What more might I be doing for my patient to get him or her healthy, happy and home?"  The questions asked each day by managment include "How may we better serve our clients and the referring veterinarians?"

This dynamic never ends, which is why you will often see changes on these web pages.  Browse around, send us feedback.  Know that, if the time ever were to come that you and your pet need veterinary emergency service....we will be here for you to provide the "Right Care, Right Now."

We remain:

Always Here, Always Ready and Always Caring.