Veterinary Emergency Referral Center Of Hawaii

Honolulu, United States

4.6

20 reviews

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Telephone:
+1 808-735-7735
Website:
www.verchawaii.com
Address:
1347 Kapiolani Blvd Ste 103 Ste 103, Honolulu, HI, 96814
Ala Moana
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.2 mi986
0.2 mi760
1.4 miAlakea St + S Hotel St
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Today

Today –
Local time (Honolulu) 06:27 Thursday, 26 June 2025

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Tuesday –
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Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Veterinary Emergency + Referral Center is an advanced 24 hour veterinary diagnostic and treatment center, offering the most comprehensive and progressive patient care available in the state of Hawaii. Our team of board-​certified specialists and highly-​trained emergency doctors see appointments by referral from your general veterinarian, and we are open and fully staffed for emergencies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Doctors and nurses are always on site to monitor patients, and your pets are never left alone.

Compassionate care and thorough, friendly client communication are the cornerstones of our practice. Our goal is to offer an exceptional level of patient care as well as exceptional client service. We are home to Hawaii’s first full-​time Board Certified veterinary Surgeon, Internal Medicine Specialist and Radiologist along with three highly skilled Emergency Doctors.

History

Established in 2011.

There has long been a need for readily-​available, 24-​hour emergency and specialty care for the pets of Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Pacific Rim. Veterinary Emergency + Referral Center of Hawaii (VERC) was created to meet these needs and is the first veterinary center of its kind to ever exist in the state of Hawaii. As Honolulu’s first 24-​hour veterinary emergency + specialty hospital, our facility provides a valuable resource to area animals, owners, and referring veterinarians, and offers the very best in modern veterinary care.

Meet the Business Owner

Dr. William Coleman C.

Business Owner

Dr. Will Coleman is well known for his professionalism and passion in the field of emergency veterinary care. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1999 and has practiced in several emergency hospitals since then, including two modern, well-​equipped clinics in Boulder and Westminster, Colorado and in Augusta, Georgia. Dr. Coleman is dedicated to providing the highest standard of medical care to the pets of Oahu. He has been fortunate to partner with Dr. Erika Sox in the formation of VERC. Dr. Erika Sox is the first board-​certified internal medicine specialist to be practicing in the state of Hawaii. She is passionate about the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, and diseases of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, urinary, endocrine, blood and immune systems. Dr. Sox enjoys working closely with her patient’s owners and primary care veterinarian to provide the best and most comprehensive care, with emphasis on client communication and patient comfort.

Veterinary Emergency Referral Center Of Hawaii also recommends

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Dr. William Coleman C. says,

«Hawaii National Bank is truly a partner in our business. They offer excellent service and stand by us every step of the way.»

Hawaiian Humane Society

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Animal Rescue & Shelters

Dr. William Coleman C. says,

«A perfect resource for pet owners or „would be“ pet owners, as well as animal lovers who find a stray or lost pet.»

HiHR Hawaii Human Resources

5

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Accountants

,

Insurance

Dr. William Coleman C. says,

«They provide excellence in meeting all of our Human Resource needs including, Payroll, Insurance, Benefits Administration and compliance issues.»

Hi-​Tech Hawaii

IT Services & Computer & Laptop Repair

Dr. William Coleman C. says,

«Hi-​Tech Hawaii has done a fantastic job of setting up our network, facilitating our rapid network growth and maintaining our network.»

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20 reviews of Veterinary Emergency Referral Center Of Hawaii

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
When my vet Dr. Obara referred us here because of Tofu’s X-​rays, I didn’t know what to expect. Tofu started wheezing and gagging after eating a chicken jerkey treat followed by white foamy vomit. He was breathing ok, but looked uncomfortable. I monitored him closely for the next hour or so, and he seemed fine, except for vomiting twice more.
I googled «my dog is vomiting white foam» and it said it could be a number of things, but not immediate urgent care. He ate his food the next morning and I went to work. When I got home, I saw that he was still lying in his bed, and looked a little lethargic. I immediately took him to Kalihi Pet Clinic and Dr. Obara took some X-​rays and said they would call me the next morning.
The call came and the nurse said it looked like there was a mass pushing down on his esophagus, and that we were to go to VERC to see a specialist. I asked if it could have been the jerkey and she said no, it was on the outside and looked like it was growing there for some time. Of course I thought the worst, and was scared of the big C.
The receptionist at VERC was able to get me an appt the next afternoon.
I was met by a tech who was very thorough in asking Tofu’s history of the previous 3 – 4 days. Dr. Sox came in and my first thought was oh my, are you even old enough to work here? She was very patient and caring. She had the radiologist take a look at the X-​rays and he thought that it might be a foreign object. (chicken jerkey) she offered me 2 options– take him home and wait it out, or have another X-​ray done just in case the jerkey was still stuck. I chose to do the X-​rays of course and was happily informed that the item was gone. She discounted the exam fee for half the price because she felt she didn’t spend as much time as she normally does. Awesome sauce! $ 280 for peace of mind…
This afternoon I came home to a shredded EMPTY box of chocolates, vomit all over the couch and floor and 2 guilty looking dogs. Soomi and Chloe was able to get the brand new box off the kitchen table and finished it up. I immediately rushed both of them to VERC, and going through the door, poor Soomi threw up.
Dr. McNally checked Chloe over and determined that she didn’t eat enough to really worry. Soomi on the other hand, had accelerated heartbeat, vomiting and diarrhea. She recommended an overnight stay. With the visit, hospital stay, IV fluids and meds the estimated bill was $ 1059 for 24 hours.
I just got a call from Dr. McNally and she said Soomi seems much better. I can call at 6am tomorrow morning and she will probably be discharged if she continues on course. Her heart rate is down, and she hasn’t vomited since I brought her in. This means that if I’m able to pick her up at 6, I’ll get a refund on my payment!!! I appreciate they try to save their clients some money when possible.
Picked her up at 6am this morning and they gave me a refund of $ 209. Every bit helps! Soomi seems better, just extra hyper. Will continue to monitor her closely
Place rating: 5
Kaneohe, HI
The doctors and staff are very professional and caring. Both for your beloved pets as well as the owners. I would recommend them to anyone!
They mad trauma of our Sparky being so sick and having to be put down easier to deal with.
Place rating: 4
Honolulu, HI
The team at VERC did an amazing job in looking after one of my cats, Bear, when he was an inch away from passing. Dr Mahr (pronounced «MAH-​ha») is a doctor par excellence. Incredibly knowledgeable, kind, considerate, conscientious and patient. I cannot recommend him highly enough. Many, many thanks to him in particular and the staff in general.
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
I thought this went well. My disclaimer is I have only been here once, and nothing disastrous happened to my dog, so that was a good start.
We called first and a receptionist answered my questions patiently after picking up right away.
We arrived at 8pm on a Tuesday and only had to wait about 10 – 15 minutes to see the vet.
There are only 3 parking stalls, luckily 1 was empty when we got there. Free street parking on Kapiolani after 6:30 pm if full.
The staff were courteous. The vet did a thorough exam and took his time with us. Turns out our dog had fleas and some kind of allergic reaction to their bites which was making her walk funny. I thought maybe she had an infection or torn hip. The vet said he did not think anything was seriously wrong and that she was healthy. He could have taken us for a ride with a urinalysis, x-​rays, blood work, etc. but he said she seemed fine so we should just treat her for fleas and monitor her at home.
Thankfully nothing serious except for the bill– $ 106 for an exam (Inc. Tax). I called the 24 hour vet in Pearl City (VCA) and they said the fee after 7pm is $ 150. Luckily this place was cheaper and closer.
The only negative was we had to answer all the same questions in person as on the questionnaire. So, we explained the situation to the receptionist, technician, veterinarian, and the paperwork. Seems about 2x too many.
If we are in a pinch and need a 24 hour vet, we will go back. But hopefully we won’t need to.
Place rating: 5
Pasadena, CA
So here’s the story. We originally took our dog to another «orthopedic specialist» in our neighborhood. After over 500 dollars worth of x-​rays, we were left with an unclear diagnosis of my dogs lameness. However, we were left with the recommendation of thousands of dollars worth of unproven stem cell treatments. I am in the medical field myself, and while not a specialist in veterinary medicine, I do know how to read studies, literature, and expert recommendations.
After realizing that this other «specialist» was not practicing standard veterinary medicine, I took our dog to Dr. Watkins. She is very knowledgeable, has the upmost integrity, and diagnosed our dog with severe biceps tendonosis. She is well trained at a top veterinary school. Instead of ordering x-​rays of the entire body under sedation like the other specialist, we did a noninvasive ultrasound, buy a board-​certified radiologist at the same center. This was cheaper, quicker, did not require sedation, and it is the standard practice looking for tendon injuries. Our dog underwent surgery a few weeks later for his tendon injury. He was back to normal in a few weeks. I strongly recommend sending any pets with orthopedic issues to Dr. Watkins. In fact, with a number of specialists in one place and my overall experience here, I would take my dog here again for anything that requires specialty care.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
The entire staff and Dr. Will were AWESOME from the moment I called sressed out about my dog’s rash to informing me how to treat it during our appt. It’s nerveracking not knowing why our animals do not feel well and such a relief to be treated so quickly with compassion and kindness. Very grateful I found them!
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
It’s great to have such a wonderful animal ER on the island. Fortunately, I haven’t had to be a patient here, but my cat-​sibling received amazing care here after he jumped off our lanai. Everyone who works here appears to be very well-​trained, attentive, professional, and friendly.
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
I have a love hate relationship with this place. I love this place because their open 24hrs, staff is great and compassionate, test and results are done here, they tell you what is happening and your options. The hate feeling is because we come here cause something is wrong with our babies. So if it’s bad, it’s heartbreaking. No one likes getting bad news.
Place rating: 4
Honolulu, HI
My sister’s Pomeranian Coby stepped on a bee during his late night walk and ended up with a bad reaction. Within minutes of us removing the stinger, he looked lethargic and weak. Thinking he had a bad allergic reaction, we panicked and drove him right over to the VERC late last night.
As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the hospitals two friendly front office staff members. These ladies were very professional and quick to check him in. Coby was whisked away by a nurse while we continued to fill out paperwork and update the receptionists on what had happened.
Dr. Kristin Levins was the doctor working last night’s late shift and she was excellent. Very down-​to-​earth, easy to talk to and still very professional. She gave us the run-​down of what they had to do for Coby (adminster oxygen, gave him a shot of benedryl, inserted IV catheter) and assured us that he seems to be doing okay.
In terms of pricing, it was expensive. Although we expected it to a certain extent, I didn’t think they would charge for every little thing like injection fees and a blood pressure fee.
I guess since I work in the health field as well, I expected it to be somewhat similar in terms of procedures. I never charge my patients for blood pressure, nor do I charge my TLC/​sissy patients if I have to give them in injection prior to doing a regular cleaning. Oh well. Main thing is that the pooch is okay.
It would’ve been nice for them to talk to us first as to what treatments or procedures they recommend. We could’ve chose to forgo a few unnecessary items.
Instead you are given a paper to sign stating that the the emergency visit could range anywhere from $ 500 to $ 1000 upon walking in. I read that another Unilocaler was able to decline xrays for her dog after talking to the Dr.
We weren’t able to speak to the dr until everything was already done. Our pets are like our family, money isn’t an issue, but I felt that they sort of took advantage of that vulnerability.
We spent a total of $ 524 last night **grabs ankles**
–Emergency exam: $ 102
–IV catheter set-​up: $ 58; Just in case of emergency, they needed an easy port to quickly inject him or admin IV meds. It wasn’t necessary last night since he was fine.
–Blood tests: $ 170
–Xray: $ 93 for a single view. I thought this was also unnecessary since it was just a bee sting incident. Plus I had already removed the stinger from his paw prior to getting here.
–Injection fee and benedryl dosage: $ 35.50 + $ 1.94
–Blood pressure: $ 52.50
The entire staff was great in caring for Coby. They were very patient with him and nurse Fey (sorry if I got your name wrong) was super sweet and understanding when nervous Coby decided to unleash some major explosive diarrhea shitbombs in the operatory. She gave him a thorough butt wash and even tightly bundled him up like a baby in a clean, plush towel!
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
The staff and service is superb! Hope you never need them but if you do… know our experience was amazing. Gave us good sound advice and was not trying to force us to buy stuff. To me they genuinely care for Samson not the money. Thank you for all you do for our dog!!!
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
Thank you so much for being there for my husband and I. The paw print, letter and box were beautiful. Couldn’t ask for a more compassionate team. Thank you for helping us thru this process.
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
Had never been here before, but my poor cat had issues over the weekend when our normal vet was closed and we were referred here. They are open 24⁄7 even though it says otherwise. I was a bit nervous as it was not my regular vet an didn’t have too much time to read up on them, but the Unilocal reviews compared to the emergency care closer to us sold me. They are quick to answer the phone and take your pet back as soon as you get there. Once I was led into a room I had to wait a bit, but it is a pet ER so that was not unexpected. The doc who took care of my cat was super knowledgeable and friendly and took her time answering and questions and concerns I had. The staff at the front was friendly as well. A bit pricey, but not as bad as I expected for an emergency visit and subsequent tests. We had to go back for some more testing as well, and everything was still spot on. While I did not get to talk to the doc who actually ran the test, one of the other doctors came out and informed me of everything. Super impressed. Definitely glad I made the trip into town for the best care. Would definitely go again and highly recommend if your pet needs urgent care.
Place rating: 1
Honolulu, HI
Not Good! DO NOT TRUST THEM WITH YOUR DOG ALONE! ONLY interest-​MONEY!
Our Dog was HOWLING & HOWLING all night! They LIED TO US, said he was fine. (We fell for the sales pitch to leave him overnight for tests; talk us into leaving him there for tests. Our Dog SUFFERED for NOTHING! We picked him up with No Results. Only for them to make MONEY! BEWARE!!!
Place rating: 5
Aiea, HI
I was skeptical about coming into an ER hospital for dogs but VERC was recommended from my regular vet so I came in. My dog Harrison was having problems with swelling in his left cheek.
We where seen by Dr. Trina Ortiz.
It was shocking for such a young doctor to have such a seasoned demeanor.
Her options and diagnosis where very valid. Long story cut short. Dr Ortiz is suspecting that due to the location of the swelling,
A foreign object which cannot be extracted normally (the penetration has closed) She prescribed an animal ibuprofen and a follow up with my regular Vet.
The total charges that I was charged was $ 130.00 which was surprising.
I also can return with my dog within 24 hours free of any med charge.
Thanks again Dr Trina Ortiz !!!
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
I love the staff here with all of my heart! They are just so awesome!
Unfortunately my baby U’i, a 13 year old Maltese passed away about 2 weeks ago.
I took her into her regular vet, blue cross & they did nothing to help me or her! See my other post for review on blue cross.
Because the blue cross did not have any machinery to do x-​rays, I called this vet ER before bringing my baby in to ask if they had the proper equipment to help, & they did.
They were very kind throughout the whole process. Letting us come into the back & see her, letting us stay with her as we put her down and she took her last breath. After my baby passed they let us take as much time as we needed to say our goodbyes. They brought her to our waiting room and left a buzzer for us so they knew we were done.
Yes, it was expensive. But you know what?! All ER’s are expensive. It’s emergency care, & in hard times like these money is nothing! So people should not complain.
At the end, they asked if we wanted to have my baby cremated. They also asked if we wanted them to make a clay print of her paw. I thought that was such a lovely thing how they do that for you.
As my mom and I went home. I told her that I wish I took some of her fur to frame up with her picture.
When her ashes were done. I went to go pick it up & it came in the prettiest designed box. They had her clay print AND they even put a tuff of her hair. I was so happy because that’s something I forgot about but they didnt.
Just yesterday in the mail, we received a card with all of the care givers notes and signatures on it. It was such a great gesture to know that they still thought about us even after she passed.
During the whole time there, you could really see that these workers loved their job and really cared for the animals and people. I cried so much while I was there and looking up at them, I could see that they genuinely cared & knew how hard it was for both me and my dog.
This experience was heart breaking for me but I’m so glad that I got my peace of mind here knowing she got the proper care. The staff is amazing and even helped me through this rough time.
Thank you to the staff at the veterinary emergency + referral center of Hawaii!
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
The veterinary Emergency + Referral center of Hawaii, specifically Dr. Coleman have been absolutely amazing towards my family. Unfortunately the sunshine in my life, my Choogie (Chug) had to be put to sleep 14 days ago.
Dr. Coleman has the best bedside manner of any doctor (human or animal) I have ever met. He was extremely kind during the whole process and explained everything without forcing any decisions on us regarding Choogie being put to sleep.
Along with my Choogies cremains, which came in a very nice carved wooden box we received a beautiful paw print. Yesterday I received a very nice signed card from the veterinary staff sending their condolences to me and my family. I don’t know of any other staff that would go out of their way to do such a kind thing.
I can’t say enough good things about the staff at the veterinary Emergency + Referral center of Hawaii. They truly care about the animals that they take care of and I am forever thankful.
Thank you Dr. Coleman for taking such good care of my beautiful boy till his last breath.
Place rating: 5
Kaunakakai, HI
We flew our doggy (Kea) from Molokai after he got run over :(. They took him in immediately. The staff were so super nice. Dr. Tarin Ortiz was our vet and she explained everything that we wanted to know, was full of compassion & didn’t rush.
I can’t thank them enough for making my dog feel better.
He stayed overnight twice. The facilities appeared and smelled very clean. The kennel that my 18 lbs JRT mix was in, was big enough for me (5’7″, 130 lbs) to sit inside.
When Kea was strong enough, they brought him into the examining rooms (instead of us visiting him in the back, where the kennels are). They gave us a clicker so when we were done with the visit, we would let them know.
The staff appeared to love on all the animals in there. Everyone seemed to enjoy their job, making our experience manageable considering the circumstances.
There are 3 (maybe more?) dedicated parking spots, which is nice, since ala moana is kinda nuts.
Big shout out to Kaleo who works up front — her presence, attitude & helpfulness lightened the whole ordeal.
Edit: a vet just called us about 1.5 weeks after kea’s accident and asked how he was doing! Definitely awesome health providers here!
Place rating: 4
Kailua, HI
Very happy with my services. The staff is very nice. The receptionists and technicians remembered my dog after only one visit… When I know they have so many patients to attend. The technician Randi (I think that was her name) made me feel so comfortable with the procedure and assured me she was assisting. Dr. Watkins gave me a lot of information throughout my visits. She always made sure I understood what was wrong, what they would do to fix the situation, and answer any questions. I appreciated it all.
The only complaint I would have is for most of my visits I didn’t receive conformation calls. I would assume I would get one and if I didn’t I would assume I wrote the wrong date/​time… But I was right. lol. I know they are busy but I think that would help the clients.
Place rating: 5
Honolulu, HI
Thank you Dr. Coleman and staff. You’ve shown nothing, but compassion for Sushi, myself, and my friends and family who walked in. We loss Sushi last night and my heart is broken. I haven’t slept, only looking at pictures of him. I’m glad Dr. Takeyama from Aina Haina pet hospital referred me to you.
Dr. Coleman you are amazing!
Place rating: 3
Honolulu, HI
My fur baby is and always will be my first born child (even though I do have a human one). He knows he is spoiled and he is the alpha male in our family. I noticed on Monday that his paw was swollen and a little pink. I had made an appointment the first thing on Tuesday morning for one on Saturday. I had hoped that he will eventually get better but alas that wasn’t the case. On Tuesday night, we came home to a dog that was hobbling on three legs and his paw was extremely puffy and swollen red. I had immediately called Dr. Doolittle (aka my coworker who has 20+ animals that she calls her own). She was zumba-​ing so I checked on Unilocal.The VCA near us (PC) didn’t seem to have good reviews so we drove to town to this location. I had called to see if an appointment was necessary but it was not.
We got checked in within minutes and were in a waiting room in under 30 minutes. Not the greatest but most definitely better than a human’s ER visit. The nurse took Keebler in to get him checked out first before we met with the doctor. Keebler does not like his foot held so I am sure it was quite the process. Within the hour, we met with the vet. She insisted on us getting Keebler x-​rayed but we did not feel it was necessary. I do agree with other reviewers in that this place does try to sign you up for unnecessary treatments (so be careful). While I do want the best for Keebler, I don’t feel like I should be taken advantage of either. I don’t think that this place is really looking out for your best interest or your pets’ either. It feels like they’re definitely trying to pad their bottom line. They kept insisting that Keebler might have a fractured foot. Dr. Doolittle had previously told me it sounded more like a bee or bug bite that was bothering Keebler.
I was disappointed but in the end, the vet finally acquiesced and gave us antibiotics and pain meds for our dog. Fast forward to Thursday, since Wednesdays our normal vet isn’t open. I give our normal vet a call to see if we can get a follow up appointment. They did find out that Keebler went to the ER (this place told us they would fax our records) and they were a little shocked as well to find out that the ER wanted to do x-​rays. They did try to slightly justify it but in the end, they were thinking it was a bite instead on his paw.
In the end, I am grateful that these types of places exist. It is helpful to have ERs that you can take any of your pets too since they are a part of your family. I am happy that they did see us. The visit alone was $ 109 so that was quite pricey but it was worth it. I had peace of mind. However, please always trust your instincts. If you feel like something isn’t right, you should always be able to voice your opinion.