Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital

What Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital does

Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital is a privately held, single-location emergency and specialty veterinary hospital in Laguna Hills, California, serving pet owners in South Orange County. Founded in 2017 by Dr. Bob Berschauer after 20 years at Animal Urgent Care and other regional ER/specialty hospitals, the practice operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, delivering care when primary care veterinarians are closed. Core services include emergency and urgent care, advanced surgery (including board-certified orthopedic, soft-tissue, and oncologic procedures), cardiology consultations through a partner diplomate (DACVIM), end-of-life care, and proactive 'Establishing Care' relationship onboarding. Patient mix is overwhelmingly canine and feline, addressed through both direct walk-in emergency cases and a structured referral pathway from local primary care veterinarians. The company's stated go-to-market is a hybrid of direct-to-consumer awareness (community events, SEO-optimized educational content, Pet Health Checker tool, how-to videos) and referral-based sales to primary care practices. Customer segments include individual pet owners seeking emergency/urgent care, proactive pet owners enrolling prior to emergencies, specialty referral cases (surgery, cardiology), and end-of-life clients. The stated differentiators are 24/7 availability, purpose-built clinical infrastructure (dedicated ICU, two surgical suites, blood bank, isolation wards, mobile CT integration via partner), board-certified specialist relationships, transparent referral communication, and a relationship-first positioning that emphasizes establishing care before acute events occur.

Name

Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital

Legal name

Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital

Website

https://healingheartsemergencyah.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital is a privately held, single-location 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary hospital in Laguna Hills, California, serving South Orange County pet owners with emergency, urgent, surgical, cardiology, and end-of-life care through direct walk-in visits and primary-vet referrals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (541940), Veterinary Services (54194), Freestanding Ambulatory Surgical and Emergency Centers (621493), Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (62231)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Hospitals (HLAMACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Surgery Centers (Soft Tissue/Orthopedic/Neuro) (HLAMACAC), Veterinary Cardiology & Respiratory Specialty Centers (HLAMACAE), Companion Animal Veterinary Clinics & Hospitals (AFAEANAA)

Keywords

• Emergency veterinary care
• Veterinary urgent care
• Veterinary surgical services
• Veterinary diagnostic imaging
• Veterinary cardiology services

Headquarters

HQ city

Laguna Hills

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 Veterinary Care: Emergency medical treatment for pets experiencing sudden, serious, or life-threatening conditions. Revenue generated from consultations, diagnostics, treatments, and emergency procedures performed during emergency visits.
2. Urgent Care Services: After-hours care for non-life-threatening but urgent medical concerns when primary veterinarian is closed. Includes examinations, treatments, and follow-up communications.
3. Surgical Services: Emergency surgery, orthopedic surgery (TPLO, fracture repair), soft tissue surgery, oncologic surgery. Revenue from surgical procedures and associated anesthesia, monitoring, and post-operative care.
4. Cardiology Services: Specialized heart care consultations and treatments provided by Dr. April Durtschi on Tuesdays and Thursdays 3PM-8PM, plus call-in emergencies.
5. Diagnostic Services: In-house laboratory tests (CBC, chemistry panels, TEG), digital radiography, ultrasound, ECG, endoscopy. Revenue from individual diagnostic procedures.
6. End of Life Care: Euthanasia services with partner West Coast Pet Memorial Services for cremation options.
7. Financial Partner Partnerships: Partnership with Cherry Payment, CareCredit, All Pet Credit Card, VetBilling, and Scratchpay to offer payment plans and financing, improving accessibility and enabling higher-value care decisions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital is an independent, purpose-driven emergency and specialty veterinary hospital in Laguna Hills, CA providing 24/7 emergency care, urgent care, surgery, diagnostics, cardiology, and end-of-life care for dogs and cats. The hospital is equipped with in-house laboratory, digital radiography, ultrasound, ECG/telemetry, endoscopy, mobile CT, two surgical suites, a dedicated ICU, and an on-site blood bank, complemented by a referral network with primary care veterinarians in Orange County.

Product overview

Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital is a purpose-driven emergency and specialty veterinary hospital offering a unified suite of integrated services centered on emergency and urgent care. The core offerings include Emergency Care and Urgent Care services for immediate life-threatening and non-critical conditions, complemented by advanced Surgery services (orthopedic, oncologic, soft tissue, and emergency procedures) and Diagnostics capabilities (digital radiography, ECG, in-house laboratory, ultrasound, telemetry, and mobile CT imaging). Specialty services include Cardiology consultations, while support services encompass End of Life Care, Establishing Care programs, and patient resources including Pet Health Library, Pet Health Checker, and How-To Videos. The hospital also provides Financial Aid options through multiple payment partners (Cherry Payment, CareCredit, All Pet Credit Card, VetBilling, Scratchpay). Services are designed for dogs and cats, with the hospital operating extended hours including nights, weekends, and holidays when primary veterinarians are closed.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Care Immediate life-saving medical treatment for pets experiencing sudden, serious, or life-threatening conditions that cannot wait for routine appointments, including trauma, toxin ingestion, difficulty breathing, seizures, and severe injuries. Available 24/7 for dogs and cats in South Orange County.
• Urgent Care Skilled, compassionate care for non-life-threatening conditions that cannot wait until morning, including minor injuries, ear infections, limping, allergic reactions, and vomiting or diarrhea. Designed for after-hours and weekend situations when the primary veterinarian is closed.
• Establishing Care Proactive relationship-building service that encourages pet caregivers to register with the hospital before emergencies occur, allowing the medical team to know pets' histories and respond faster during crises. Available to South Orange County pet owners as a preventive step.
• Surgery State-of-the-art surgical services including emergency surgery, oncologic surgery, orthopedic surgery (TPLO, fracture repair, patellar luxation repair), and soft tissue surgery, performed in two fully equipped surgical suites by board-certified surgeons with multimodal anesthesia and comprehensive pain management.
• Diagnostics Advanced in-house diagnostic capabilities including digital radiography, electrocardiogram (ECG) with telemetry, full laboratory testing (CBC, chemistry, blood gas, TEG), high-resolution ultrasound, oxygen monitoring, endoscopy, and mobile CT imaging delivered on-site through a partner. Designed to return results within minutes rather than days.
• Cardiology Specialized heart care for pets of all ages, including heart disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment, provided by board-certified veterinary cardiologist Dr. April Durtschi (DACVIM Cardiology) on Tuesdays and Thursdays 3PM-8PM with call-in emergency availability.
• End of Life Care Compassionate end-of-life services including quality-of-life assessments, euthanasia decision support, cremation coordination through West Coast Pet Memorial Services, and referrals to at-home euthanasia providers (Lap of Love, Hearts and Halos, Home Pet Euthanasia of Southern California, Advanced Mobile Veterinary Care).

Quantifiable outcome

• Full in-house diagnostics delivering results in minutes rather than days
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, support and minor.

• Dr. Sady Cabrera (DACVS-SA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard-certified surgeon (Diplomate of American College of Veterinary Surgeons - Small Animal) partnering with Healing Hearts for all orthopedic cases and complex surgical procedures including TPLO, fracture repair, and advanced soft tissue surgeries.
• Dr. Sebastian Mejia (DACVS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard-certified surgeon partnering with Healing Hearts for orthopedic cases and more complex surgical cases alongside Dr. Cabrera.
• Dr. April Durtschi / Veterinary Cardiology of Orange CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCardiology specialist providing consultations at Healing Hearts every Tuesday and Thursday 3PM-8PM, plus call-in emergencies. Pioneer of the only female-owned cardiology business in the area. Visited hospital to see own pet - demonstrates personal trust.
• West Coast Pet Memorial ServicessupportOthersPartnered cremation and memorial services provider offering compassionate aftercare including cremation options, private viewings, and personalized memorial products for families honoring pets with dignity.
• Cherry PaymentsupportOthersFinancing partnership offering instant approvals and flexible payment plans including options as low as 0% APR to make pet care more accessible.
• CareCreditsupportOthersHealthcare credit card partner for veterinary financing, helping pet owners manage costs for emergency and specialty care.
• All Pet Credit CardsupportOthersPet-specific credit card offering special financing: 6 months on purchases of $250 or more, 12 months on purchases of $500 or more. No down payment required.
• VetBillingsupportOthersPayment plan provider offering automatic draft options for convenient monthly payments, making veterinary care more accessible.
• ScratchpaysupportOthersPet care financing partner offering instant approvals and plans as low as 0% APR for emergency veterinary care payments.
• Dr. Zachery Smith / Mobile CT ImagingsupportTechnology or IntegrationMobile CT imaging services provided via Dr. Smith's van, enabling on-site advanced imaging at the hospital without patient transfer. Ryan Schlax (emergency/critical care certified RVT) assists with the mobile unit.
• Lap of LoveminorOthersReferral partner for at-home euthanasia services when Healing Hearts cannot provide in-home care. Provides peaceful, familiar setting option for saying goodbye.
• Hearts and HalosminorOthersReferral partner for at-home euthanasia services, offering compassionate end-of-life care options for pet families.
• Home Pet Euthanasia of Southern CaliforniaminorOthersReferral partner for at-home euthanasia services in Southern California region.
• Advanced Mobile Veterinary CareminorOthersReferral partner for at-home euthanasia services for families preferring in-home end-of-life care.
• Primary Care Veterinarians in Orange CountycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of primary care veterinary practices serving as referral sources and care continuity partners. Healing Hearts provides after-hours emergency support and specialty referrals, then transfers care back to primary vets with detailed updates.
• Tapir.vetsupportTechnology or IntegrationWebsite design and maintenance partner responsible for the company's website design and ongoing technical maintenance.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice: National in-home euthanasia and hospice network explicitly referenced as a referral partner. Comparable on end-of-life care service line, despite the at-home vs in-hospital delivery model.

Direct peers

• Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG): Dedicated emergency-only veterinary chain with a customer-experience-led model emphasizing transparency and family inclusion. The most direct peer in ER positioning and around-the-clock availability, with several Southern California locations.
• Animal Urgent Care: Long-standing Southern California after-hours/emergency veterinary group where founder Dr. Berschauer worked for 20 years before founding Healing Hearts. Directly comparable service scope and Orange County/locally-anchored positioning.
• MedVet Medical & Cancer Centers for Pets: Multi-specialty and emergency veterinary network with 24/7 hospitals and board-certified specialists across ER, surgery, internal medicine, and cardiology. Strong functional comparator on specialty depth and referral-based operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Thrive Pet Healthcare Specialists: Consolidated specialty, emergency, and general practice veterinary network with Southern California hospitals including ER and surgery coverage. Comparable on 24-hour ER + specialty surgery + cardiology mix.
• BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital: National network of specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals operating under Mars Veterinary Health. Overlaps directly with Healing Hearts across emergency, specialty surgery, and cardiology in broader Southern California, but offers corporate-scale technology and managed-care contracts that an independent must match.
• VCA Animal Hospitals: Largest US veterinary hospital network, also part of Mars, with multiple 24-hour specialty/ER hospitals across California. Closest direct comparison on service mix (ER + surgery + cardiology + diagnostics) and operating model (overnight specialty coverage).

Regional players

• ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospitals: Multi-location Southern California specialty and 24-hour emergency veterinary group with board-certified surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, oncology, and emergency services. Direct regional analog for service breadth and specialist depth.
• Pet Emergency and Specialty Hospital: Independent specialty and emergency hospital serving San Diego and surrounding Southern California with ER, surgery, internal medicine, and cardiology. Comparable independent-vs-corporate positioning for benchmark.
• Pacific Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital (PVESH): Specialty and emergency hospital serving the South Bay and Greater Los Angeles area with overnight ER, surgery, internal medicine, and cardiology. Comparable community-anchored specialty/ER model in Southern California.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/healing-hearts-emergency-animal-hospital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital