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Ark Animal Hospital

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Ark Animal Hospital

Ark Animal Hospital

4.9 (93)

2616 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA

Best Pet Insurance in Santa Cruz, California 2024

Hours:

Monday: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Thursday: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Friday: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

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How to Save Money at Ark Animal Hospital

Schedule Regular Vet Visits

One of the best ways to save on vet bills is to prevent expensive health issues before they develop. By scheduling regular wellness checkups, your vet can detect health issues early, helping you to avoid costly treatments and surgeries down the road.

Price Shop for Pet Prescriptions

Oftentimes our fur babies are prescribed human drugs off-label. Your vet is apt to charge more for these medications than you would pay at your local pharmacy. In fact, big-box or chain pharmacies can offer steep discounts. So it’s best to price shop.

Pet Insurance

Most pet insurance providers will pay between 80% and 90% of the vet bill. You can even get coverage for routine care and things like vaccinations and dental cleanings. If you do the math, you’ll most likely find that pet insurance makes financial sense in the long run as well as gives you peace of mind.

How Do You Choose the Right Pet Insurance Provider?

Pet Insurance Review makes it incredibly easy for pet parents to select an insurance provider they feel good about. You can use our handy comparison tool to get the gist of what a company offers. We’ve also collected over 150,000 reviews of insurance companies from real pet parents like you to rank the top providers in the market. Here is the current ranking of each:

Top Pet Insurance Providers of 2024
Rating	Provider	Total Review
4.4	AKC	889
4.7	ASPCA	11,414
4.9	Embrace	14,242
4.9	Fetch	2,055
4.4	Figo	2,580
4.7	Hartville	164
4.9	Healthy Paws	7,477
4.9	Lemonade	783
3.2	ManyPets	2,156
4.6	MetLife	493
4.8	Nationwide	21,393
4.3	Pet Assure	12
4.7	PetPartners	110
4.5	Pets Best	7,196
4.3	Pumpkin	1,163
4.7	Spot	5,275
4.9	Trupanion	60,301
4.8	Prudent Pet	125

Or, you can simply get a fast quote from multiple providers and go from there.

Thinking of insuring your pet?

Get Quotes & Compare

Getting to Know Your New Vet: Essential Questions to Ask

Choosing a new veterinarian is an important decision for any pet owner. You want to find someone who is competent, compassionate, and a good fit for you and your fur baby. To help you get the most out of your first appointment, here's a list of essential questions to ask your new vet:

Tell me about your experience with [pet type].

Different vets have different areas of specialization. Some are experts with cats, some dogs, some pocket pets, and some horses. Knowing that your vet has vast experience treating your specific type of pet can bring you peace of mind.

How do you handle emergencies?

You must know what to do in case of a pet medical emergency. Inquire what after-hours policy the clinic has, whether they have on-site emergency care available, and if they have a relationship with any nearby emergency animal hospitals.

How do you communicate with pet owners?

Good communication is key to building a trusting relationship with your vet. Ask how they prefer to communicate (phone calls, emails, online portal) and how often you can expect to hear from them.

Are there any breed-specific health concerns I should be aware of?

Some breeds are predisposed to certain health conditions. Knowing what to watch out for can help you catch problems early and get your pet the treatment they need.

Do you have any questions for me about my pet?

This is a great question to ask because the answer will show that the vet is interested in getting to know your pet as an individual and is willing to listen to your concerns.

Bonus question: Can I take a tour of your facility?

Getting a feel for the clinic's environment can help you and your pet feel more comfortable during your visits. Remember, you’re not just looking for a veterinarian, you’re looking for a partnership. Do not be afraid to ask these questions and any others you can think of. Any vet worth their salt will be happy to answer them. Because the more informed you are, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions about your pet's care! And that should be every vet’s top priority.

Reviews from Google

Virgil Kester III

We have been going to Ark for years. Taking our cats, and dog to be seen for well and sick visits. We do recommend, staff and doctors are always great. During Covid, they like all other places, set up getting your pet at the car, and you waiting in the car. Our small issue, now with Covid restrictions being over with, is they still are doing the Covid routine for visit. We prefer to be with our pets, not sitting in car, not knowing. Doctor was great, came outside and talked, but it could of been done inside.

posted: 05/15/2023

Sleiman Masri

When we lived in Santa Cruz we took our dogs here and they still help us any time we need records. Great staff, knowledgeable doctors and clean office. Highly recommend!

posted: 08/01/2023

Zephyr Sylvester

They always take the time to make us and our feel comfortable, seen, heard and understood. They go out of their way to follow up on every visit and we love the care, time and expertise they provide

posted: 07/18/2023

Linda Snook

The Ark staff habe been extremely supportive as we introduce a new kitten to our home. They saw her the day we called, and spent a long time with her multiple issues. They have also provided great personal support on the phone.

posted: 08/04/2017

Kamela Arya

The entire staff is so caring and loving to both the pets and the pet owners. Not to mention that Dr. Hoefer has so much experience and depth of knowledge that if anyone can help your cat, she can! They will stay late when needed and always call to follow up. The level of care and service is amazing.

posted: 09/07/2022

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