Animal Referral and Emergency Centre

What Animal Referral and Emergency Centre does

Animal Referral and Emergency Centre (AREC) is an independently owned veterinary hospital established in 2004 and operated under NAEC Pty Ltd from a purpose-built facility at 11 Perth Road, Broadmeadow, NSW, Australia. It provides 24/7 emergency care and specialist referral services to pet owners and general practice veterinarians across the Newcastle, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and broader Hunter Region of NSW. The hospital is staffed by more than 100 qualified veterinary professionals and treats over 10,000 pets annually.

The service portfolio combines round-the-clock emergency triage and critical care with daytime specialist offerings including surgery (soft tissue, orthopaedic, spinal, oncology), internal medicine (launching August 2026), ophthalmology (delivered via partnership with Vet Vision), rehabilitation (including hydrotherapy on an underwater treadmill), and veterinary behaviour consultations. Diagnostic capability is anchored by advanced imaging equipment, notably the GE Revolution Advance CT scanner (the first deployment in Australia and New Zealand) and access to a Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma 3T MRI through a partnership with HMRI Newcastle, supplemented by ultrasound, digital X-ray, and a voluntary pet blood donation programme.

Revenue is generated primarily through fee-for-service professional charges across consultations and procedures, with documented pricing including $365.20 emergency consults, $323.40 surgery/medicine consults, $3,500+ MRI packages, and $115.50 hydrotherapy sessions. Customer acquisition runs through a dual channel of direct emergency walk-ins and self-referrals from pet owners, combined with a professional referral network of general practice veterinary clinics. The company is privately held with no external investment, parent company, or public listing, and is certified as an ASAV Hospital of Excellence.

Name

Animal Referral and Emergency Centre

Legal name

NAEC Pty Ltd

Website

https://arecvet.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Animal Referral and Emergency Centre is a privately owned, 24/7 specialist veterinary hospital in Broadmeadow, NSW, delivering emergency care, advanced imaging (CT, MRI), and referral specialties (surgery, ophthalmology, rehabilitation, behaviour, and forthcoming internal medicine) to pet owners and general practice vets across the Newcastle and Hunter Region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Emergency and Specialist Hospital Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Specialty Referral Hospitals (Multi-specialty) (HLAMACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Hospitals (HLAMACAA), Veterinary Surgery Centers (Soft Tissue/Orthopedic/Neuro) (HLAMACAC), Veterinary Specialty Imaging Centers (CT/MRI/Advanced Imaging) (HLAMACAL), Veterinary Internal Medicine & Oncology Centers (HLAMACAD), Veterinary Imaging, Surgery & Specialty Referral Centers (AFAEANAG)

Keywords

• Emergency veterinary services
• Veterinary referral hospital
• Specialist animal surgery
• Veterinary diagnostic imaging
• Pet rehabilitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Broadmeadow (Newcastle)

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Emergency Veterinary Services: 24/7 emergency consultations and critical care services for pets. Revenue from emergency consult fees ($365.20) plus additional treatments and diagnostics
2. Specialist Referral Services: Surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, rehabilitation, and veterinary behaviour consultations. Surgery/Internal Medicine consultation at $323.40 plus follow-up at $211.20
3. Advanced Imaging Services: CT, MRI, ultrasound, and X-ray imaging services. MRI costs begin from $3,500 inc GST including consultation, transport, anaesthesia, MRI, interpretation and report
4. Rehabilitation Services: Physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, laser therapy, and rehabilitation consultations. Rehabilitation consultation $286.00, follow-up $148.50, underwater treadmill sessions at $115.50 per 45-minute session
5. Veterinary Behaviour Services: Behaviour consultations with Dr Natasha Woods. Initial 2-hour consultation at $690.80, follow-ups at $299.00

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AREC operates a purpose-built, 24/7 veterinary hospital delivering emergency and specialist referral services for companion animals in the Newcastle and Hunter Region of NSW, Australia. The integrated offering combines round-the-clock emergency and critical care with daytime specialist services including surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology (via Vet Vision partnership), rehabilitation (including hydrotherapy), veterinary behaviour, and advanced diagnostic imaging (CT, MRI, ultrasound, X-ray). Since 2004, the hospital has treated more than 10,000 pets annually with a staff of over 100 qualified veterinary professionals.

Product overview

AREC operates as a single-location, integrated veterinary hospital offering emergency and specialist referral services from one purpose-built facility. The core offering combines 24/7 emergency care with daytime specialist services including advanced imaging (CT, MRI, ultrasound, X-ray), surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology (via Vet Vision partnership), rehabilitation, and veterinary behaviour. The integrated model enables seamless patient journeys—from emergency presentation through surgery and into rehabilitation—with over 100 staff supporting more than 10,000 pets annually since 2004. Services are available to pet owners directly and through vet referrals, with the hospital also supporting local veterinarians through after-hours care and blood donation programmes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 Emergency Vet Services Round-the-clock emergency veterinary care for pets, providing immediate triage, examination, and treatment for urgent and critical cases when regular vet clinics are closed. Emergency consultations at $365.20 including public holidays.
• Surgery Services Comprehensive surgical care including soft tissue surgery, orthopaedic surgery, spinal surgery, oncology, and chemotherapy, performed by experienced surgical registrars. Initial consultation at $323.40 with follow-ups at $211.20.
• Internal Medicine Specialist diagnosis and management of complex medical conditions including gastrointestinal disease, liver disorders, kidney disease, endocrine disorders, and immune-mediated diseases. Service launching August 2026 with Dr Ferran Valls Sanchez.
• Ophthalmology Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Treats more than 10,000 pets annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Vet Vision (Dr Matt Annear and Dr Sarah Coall)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVet Vision provides full-service specialist ophthalmology services at AREC. Dr Matt Annear and Dr Sarah Coall offer consultations on Tuesdays and Fridays with a fully equipped surgical suite and advanced diagnostics. AREC is the only vet hospital in the Hunter with a dedicated ophthalmology service.
• HMRI NewcastlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with HMRI Newcastle for MRI imaging services. AREC coordinates MRI appointments for eligible patients at HMRI Newcastle, available Monday to Thursday. Services include case assessment, pre-MRI preparation, anaesthesia, image interpretation, and integration into treatment plans.
• Pet Owners (Blood Donors)supportingOthersVoluntary blood donation programme where pet owners register their dogs and cats as blood donors. Donors receive $50 pet shop voucher, free vet check, and free annual blood testing. Critical for providing life-saving blood transfusions for emergency cases.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• VetICU (University of Melbourne): University-led emergency and critical care service at scale; adjacent enabling/referral capacity that competes for high-acuity emergency referrals and complex case overflow.

Direct peers

• Veterinary Specialist Services (VSS): Specialist referral and emergency veterinary hospital in Brisbane/Underwood providing surgery, internal medicine, oncology, ophthalmology, and imaging services similar to AREC's specialty mix.
• SASH (Small Animal Specialist Hospital): Multi-site Australian veterinary specialist and emergency hospital network with 24/7 emergency, surgery, internal medicine, oncology, ophthalmology, and imaging—directly comparable integrated referral-plus-emergency model.
• Centre for Animal Referral and Emergency (CARE): Multi-specialty veterinary referral and emergency hospital in Melbourne offering emergency, surgery, internal medicine, oncology, and advanced imaging under one roof; closest direct specialty hospital peer.
• Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre (MVSC): Multi-specialty referral centre in Melbourne offering surgery, internal medicine, oncology, dermatology and behaviour—comparable specialty referral footprint.
• Sydney Veterinary Emergency & Specialists (SVES): Sydney-based 24/7 emergency and referral hospital with specialty services; comparable multi-specialty referral-plus-emergency operating model.

Broad incumbents

• VetPartners Australia: Large veterinary corporate group with specialty, emergency, and GP clinics across Australia; broader incumbent that may consolidate regional specialty markets AREC operates in.
• Animal Referral Hospital (Greencross ARH): National network of specialist and emergency veterinary hospitals owned by Greencross; competes in the referral/specialty space with greater geographic reach and corporate backing.
• University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Sydney (UVTHS): University-affiliated veterinary teaching hospital offering specialty referral, emergency, and advanced diagnostics; broader scope and academic scale than AREC.

Regional players

• North Coast Veterinary Specialists: Regional NSW multi-specialty referral hospital; serves a different catchment than AREC but operates a comparable small-animal specialty referral model in the same state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCwcwxMgsaNW3O8vKs65aCg
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewcastleAEC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newcastle-animal-emergency-centre
• Instagraminstagram.com/arec_vet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Animal Referral and Emergency Centre