Veterinary Emergency & Referral Group

What Veterinary Emergency & Referral Group does

Veterinary Emergency & Referral Group (VERG Brooklyn) is a privately held, independently owned veterinary emergency and specialty hospital located at 196 4th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217, operating 24 hours per day, 365 days per year since its founding in 2005 by Dr. Brett Levitzke, DVM. The single-site practice serves pet owners across the New York City tri-state area (Brooklyn, the five NYC boroughs, New Jersey, and Connecticut) and accepts walk-in emergency cases without appointment as well as referred specialty consultations from primary care veterinarians. The hospital handles 30,000+ cases annually and is staffed by approximately 50 employees including veterinarians, licensed veterinary technicians, and administrative support.

VERG offers emergency and critical care alongside board-certified specialty services in surgery, oncology, cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, diagnostic imaging, and anesthesiology, with two full-time board-certified veterinary anesthesiologists. Diagnostic capability is anchored by a human-grade 1.5T MRI scanner, a 128-slice CT scanner, digital radiography, ultrasound with Doppler, fluoroscopy, and endoscopy, with advanced anesthesia monitoring and motor-sparing nerve blocks. In 2024, the hospital became the first veterinary emergency hospital in the United States to achieve Fear Free Emergency & Urgent Care Practice Certification, reflecting hospital-wide low-stress handling protocols and environmental design. Additional services include a dedicated veterinary social worker providing grief and caregiver support, an externship and continuing education program, and an online pharmacy.

The business model is professional services revenue per visit and procedure, with a fee schedule that is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Emergency exam fees are waived for patients referred by a veterinarian on the same day, and the first post-operative recheck is complimentary. Multiple payment methods and third-party financing options (CareCredit, Scratch Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay) support higher-value medical decisions. Go-to-market is a hybrid of direct-to-consumer walk-ins and calls, a veterinarian referral network coordinated by a dedicated Referral Coordinator and a Marketing & Outreach Coordinator, content marketing through an educational blog, local search/SEO, and community events. The practice is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or external ownership.

Name

Veterinary Emergency & Referral Group

Legal name

Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group Brooklyn

Website

https://verg-brooklyn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VERG Brooklyn is a privately held, 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary hospital in Brooklyn, NY, serving pet owners across the NYC tri-state area with board-certified specialists, advanced imaging (1.5T MRI, 128-slice CT), and the nation's first Fear Free Emergency & Urgent Care certification.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency & Specialty Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194), Veterinary Services (541940)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Imaging, Surgery & Specialty Referral Centers (AFAEANAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Surgery Centers (Soft Tissue/Orthopedic/Neuro) (HLAMACAC), Veterinary Internal Medicine & Oncology Centers (HLAMACAD), Veterinary Neurology & Neurosurgery Centers (HLAMACAF), Veterinary Anesthesia & Pain Management Specialty Services (HLAMACAJ)

Keywords

• Emergency veterinary services
• Specialty veterinary care
• Veterinary diagnostic imaging
• Veterinary critical care
• Board-certified veterinary specialists

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Emergency & Critical Care Services: Walk-in emergency veterinary services available 24/7 including triage, stabilization, advanced diagnostics, and life-saving treatments such as ventilation, oxygen therapy, and blood transfusions. Revenue is generated per visit and procedure, with emergency exam fees waived for patients referred by veterinarians the same day.
2. Specialty Consultation & Procedures: Board-certified specialist consultations and procedures in surgery, oncology, cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, radiology, and anesthesiology. Appointments scheduled by pet owners or through primary vet referrals.
3. Advanced Diagnostic Imaging: MRI, CT, digital X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, fluoroscopy. Imaging procedures generate revenue per scan or service.
4. Payment Plans & Financing: Accepts multiple payment methods (cash, certified checks, credit cards, CareCredit, Scratch Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay). Financing programs enable pet owners to pay over time, facilitating higher-value medical decisions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VERG Brooklyn is a 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary hospital providing walk-in emergency and critical care alongside scheduled board-certified specialty consultations in surgery, oncology, cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, diagnostic imaging, and anesthesia. The hospital treats dogs and cats using human-grade imaging (1.5T MRI, 128-slice CT), minimally invasive surgery, advanced anesthesia protocols, and Fear Free low-stress handling practices, serving pet owners across the NYC tri-state area.

Product overview

VERG Brooklyn operates as a 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary hospital offering comprehensive animal healthcare services. Founded in 2005, the hospital provides emergency and critical care alongside multiple specialty departments including surgery, anesthesia, cardiology, diagnostic imaging, internal medicine, oncology, and neurology. The practice is notable for being the first veterinary emergency hospital to achieve Fear Free Emergency & Urgent Care Practice Certification, emphasizing low-stress handling and patient comfort. Additional support services include veterinary social work, grief counseling, and an online pharmacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 Emergency & Critical Care Round-the-clock walk-in emergency veterinary care for dogs and cats requiring immediate, life-saving treatment, including trauma care, ventilation, oxygen therapy, and blood transfusions. Available 24/7/365 with no appointment required.
• Veterinary Surgery Board-certified surgical services including soft tissue surgery, orthopedic procedures (TPLO, TTA, fracture repair), arthroscopy, laparoscopy, minimally invasive surgery, neurologic (spinal) surgery, and emergency surgical procedures for dogs and cats.
• Veterinary Cardiology Board-certified cardiology services for dogs and cats including echocardiography, ECG, Holter monitoring, blood pressure measurement, pacemaker implantation, and heartworm treatment.
• Veterinary Neurology Specialized neurology services for conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles in dogs and cats, including MRI and CT imaging, CSF analysis, seizure management, and brain and spinal surgery.
• Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist diagnosis and treatment of complex internal conditions in dogs and cats including endocrine disorders, gastrointestinal issues, hematologic diseases, immune-mediated diseases, infectious diseases, and respiratory disorders, using advanced diagnostics and endoscopy.
• Veterinary Oncology Comprehensive cancer care for dogs and cats including diagnosis, staging, surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and palliative and supportive care.
• Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging Advanced imaging services for dogs and cats including digital X-rays, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, endoscopy, 128-slice CT, and human-grade 1.5T MRI for comprehensive diagnostic evaluation.
• Anesthesia & Pain Management Board-certified anesthesiologist-led service providing customized anesthesia protocols, advanced pain control including ultrasound-guided nerve blocks, epidurals, and multimodal pain management for surgical and diagnostic procedures in dogs and cats.
• Veterinary Social Work Services Emotional support services including grief counseling, caregiver support groups, end-of-life decision-making guidance, compassion fatigue support for staff, and mental health referrals for pet owners.
• Online Pharmacy

Quantifiable outcome

• ~30,000 cases treated annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Positive TailscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPositive Tails is a nonprofit devoted to helping pets in need get medical care regardless of cost. Founded by VERG's own Dr. Brett Levitzke, the organization is centered on the belief that pets are family members and should receive care regardless of financial constraints. VERG staff support Positive Tails through fundraising, community outreach, and donations. The partnership reflects VERG's commitment to community and social impact.
• AmbuVetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmbuVet is the first and only 24/7 emergency pet transportation service in New York City, equipped to transport all types of ill pets with highly trained staff. VERG recommends AmbuVet as the preferred emergency pet transportation partner, facilitating seamless transfer of critical patients to VERG's emergency facility.
• Kasey Bell (Marketing & Outreach Coordinator)minorOthersKasey Bell serves as Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, helping referring veterinary hospitals with marketing materials (brochures, magnets, department cards) to support their referral communications to clients. This is an internal GTM function supporting the referral partner network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG): VEG operates 24/7 walk-in emergency veterinary hospitals in NYC and multiple U.S. markets with an emergency-only model and similar Fear Free-adjacent client experience positioning. It is the closest direct peer in mission, customer (NYC pet owners), and operating model.
• BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital: BluePearl is a national network of emergency and specialty veterinary hospitals with locations across the NYC metro. It directly competes for the same specialist talent, referral partners, and complex specialty caseload VERG serves.
• Animal Medical Center (AMC) — NYC: AMC is a large non-profit specialty and emergency veterinary hospital on Manhattan's Upper East Side offering multi-specialty care, 24/7 emergency service, and advanced imaging — the most established multi-specialty peer in VERG's home market.
• MedVet: MedVet is a multi-site emergency and specialty veterinary hospital network with locations in several U.S. metros. It competes directly for board-certified specialists and complex specialty cases, and represents the kind of well-capitalized consolidator VERG benchmarks against.
• Guardian Veterinary Specialists: Guardian Veterinary Specialists is a 24/7 emergency and specialty hospital in the NYC metro (NY/NJ), offering surgery, internal medicine, oncology, cardiology, neurology, and emergency care — directly comparable in scope and regional overlap.
• NorthStar VETS: NorthStar VETS is a multi-specialty and 24/7 emergency veterinary hospital in New Jersey serving the tri-state area. It directly competes for referrals from primary care vets across VERG's geographic footprint.
• NYC Veterinary Specialists: NYC Veterinary Specialists is a specialty and emergency veterinary hospital in NYC offering surgery, internal medicine, oncology, cardiology, neurology, and emergency care — a direct competitor in the same metro with a comparable multi-specialty referral model.

Broad incumbents

• VCA Animal Hospitals: VCA is one of the largest U.S. veterinary hospital operators (now part of Mars) with general practice, emergency, and specialty services nationwide. It is a broad incumbent that competes for referrals and specialist talent, though it spans far more than VERG's emergency/specialty niche.
• Thrive Pet Healthcare: Thrive Pet Healthcare is a multi-specialty veterinary platform with hospitals across the U.S., including the NYC metro. As a PE-backed consolidator, it competes for both specialist recruitment and referral share in the tri-state area.

Regional players

• ASPCA Animal Hospital: The ASPCA Animal Hospital is a NYC-based veterinary facility providing high-quality care, including specialty services. It serves a similar NYC pet-owner base and is a relevant regional reference point, though its mission-driven, subsidized model differs from VERG's commercial operation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vergbrooklyn
• Facebookfacebook.com/Veterinary-Emergency-a

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Veterinary Emergency & Referral Group