Genuine emergency referrals are accepted on a 24/7 basis. All emergency referrals should be arranged between the surgeon on emergency duty and the referring vet. This is essential to assess the urgency of the situation. Therefore, emergency referrals should only be made when the case has been assessed recently by a vet. If subsequently the emergency appointment is not needed (for instance if the client decides upon euthanasia), it is vital that we are aware of this as early as possible.