When will Arlington Heights Veterinary Hospital reopen near Ellettsville?
Arlington Heights Veterinary Hospital will reopen its northern location this spring after a nearly five-year closure. Given Bloomington's over-strained veterinary services, the clinic can't come fast enough for pet owners — though some customers may consider it worth the wait.
"It’s much bigger than the old location — probably double the size," Michael Livingston, Arlington Heights Veterinary's hospital administrator, told The Herald-Times.
The original site was closed following fire damage in March 2018. Early that morning, Ellettsville and Northern Monroe Fire Territory firefighters were dispatched to the veterinary hospital's north location, 4515 W. Arlington Road. According to past H-T reporting, an overnight employee called 911 after hearing the fire alarm and finding smoke in the back washroom. That employee removed five dogs and three cats, including an office cat named Boo, from the building; no injuries were reported.
Related: Animals evacuated after fire at Arlington Heights Veterinary Hospital
While firefighters were able to control the fire quickly, the facility sustained heavy smoke and heat damage. A construction crew razed the original structure and began building the new facility in May. In the interim, Arlington Heights' customers have had to lean on its southern location, 4019 S. Old Ind. 37. Right now, the veterinary clinic plans to keep both sites open.
Barring any construction-related delays, the new facility is slated to open in March 2023. With the expanded space, Livingston said Arlington Heights is interested in staffing more people, but the current labor shortage of veterinarians has been a persistent obstacle. The lack of local providers has also made the hospital's desire to expand into emergency services challenging as well.
Once reopened, the clinic will first carry on with its original services, including appointments and scheduled surgeries, with a future goal of potentially expanding into emergency care.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Arlington Heights Veterinary clinic to reopen in spring 2023
