Visitor Information

Our staff recognizes the importance of pets having nurturing time with their loved ones as they recover, and we encourage clients to visit their pet regularly. It is important, however, to understand that not all animals are comforted by human contact when they are seriously ill. Therefore, the care team may limit the frequency and duration of visits if the patient develops signs of distress during visitation (such as increased heart rate, increased respiration, or other signs of agitation).

In order to ensure optimal medical care for all hospitalized patients, clients with pets in the Foster Small Animal Hospital are expected to comply with the following guidelines:

Visiting Hours
5 pm to 8 pm, Monday - Friday
1 pm to 3 pm, Saturday, Sunday and Holidays

• Visitation outside of the standard visiting hours is normally not permitted but may be approved by the patients’ care team. Please call your Service Liaison with special visitation requests.
• All visitors are required to check-in at the front desk prior to entering visiting areas within the hospital.
• If the patient is able, the client may share time with their pet outside in our garden areas. If the weather does not permit, and space is available, we will provide you visitation time in a quiet exam room. Otherwise, if the patient is not well enough to visit outside of their recovery area, we encourage clients to spend small amounts of time with their pet in the pet’s recovery area. Our staff will escort family members to visit patients in the ICU. Depending on the circumstance, we may ask that visitation be kept to one person at a time for patients located in the ICU. Please note that, in most cases, clients are not able to physically visit with quarantined patients.
• Please turn off your cell phones when visiting patients within the hospital.
• Please do not enter clinical areas of the hospital or walk through areas marked “Authorized Personnel Only.”
• Please remember to disinfect your hands prior to and after visiting your pet. We provide hand- sanitizing solution in the general waiting area.
• Clients with hospitalized animals are encouraged to leave the hospital once visiting hours conclude. Please see our list of hotels in the area. Due to University security restrictions, clients may not stay at Foster Hospital overnight.