Jennifer Hennessey Bremseth has been in the emergency medicine field since graduating from high school in 1996, starting as a technician and ultimately opening Animal ER of Northwest Houston in March 2014.
Similar to a traditional emergency room, cases are prioritized through a triage system, and the facility is open when traditional veterinary offices are closed—nights, weekends and holidays.
“Our promise to the area veterinarians is to serve as an extension of their care, so we do just about everything except vaccinations and routine preventative checkups,” Bremseth said.
Animal ER of Northwest Houston sees about 12-15 cases every night, she said. Emergency evaluations, intensive care monitoring, surgery, pain management, critical care and snake bite therapy are among the services provided.
Bremseth said her staff is able to help pet owners through traumatic situations with compassion.
“Everything other than us and one entity off I-10 are corporates now,” she said. “When you work for a company, you can’t provide your personal touch.”
When Hurricane Harvey hit and most animal clinics in Houston were forced to close their doors, Animal ER of Northwest Houston became a hub for collecting and distributing supplies across the region. The clinic was open for 11 consecutive days, and Bremseth said she did not leave for more than a week.
Many animals treated during this time were likely strays, Bremseth said. Others were displaced but later reunited with owners through microchip tracking or social media, and about one-third were from other facilities, she said.
Texas Veterinary Medical Association sent $60,000 worth of medical supplies, and more than 200 kennels were donated within two hours of posting the need online.
The vacant space next door—which Bremseth plans to open as Wonder Pet Rehab & Recovery clinic at the end of November—was used to store donations of pet food and medical supplies.
After Harvey, volunteers continued traveling from all over the U.S. with supplies, and as clinics reopen, many are still relying on Bremseth to help them restock with supplies, she said.
“We got to help a lot, and it helped the community have a common connection,” she said. “After seeing how everyone’s been giving, people are feeling fortunate, and it’s an even better community than it already was.”
Animal ER of Northwest Houston
27104 Hwy. 290, Ste. 107, Cypress
281-304-0039
www.animalernwh.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 5 p.m.-8 a.m., Sat.-Sun. open 24 hours
Harvey Heroes
During Hurricane Harvey, Animal ER of Northwest Houston was a hub for emergency animal resources in Cypress.
- 5,000 vaccines donated to Harris County Public Health
- 77 tons of pet food collected in three and a half weeks
- $60,000+ in medical supplies collected and distributed
- 200 pet kennels collected in two hours
