SAN LEANDRO, Calif., July 7, 2026
WAVES Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital has officially opened its doors in San Leandro, California, restoring critical 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary services to the San Francisco East Bay following the unexpected closure of the long-standing Bay Area Veterinary Specialists (BAVS) hospital earlier this year. Founded by six experienced East Bay veterinary clinicians and hospital leaders, WAVES is a locally owned, veterinarian-led specialty hospital established to ensure continued access to advanced veterinary care for companion animals across the region. Operating from the former BAVS facility, the hospital delivers a comprehensive range of services, including emergency medicine, internal medicine, veterinary surgery, oncology, and critical care, providing pet owners and referring veterinarians with uninterrupted access to specialized medical expertise. The launch marks a significant milestone for the regional veterinary community by restoring an essential healthcare resource while preserving decades of clinical experience, trusted relationships, and advanced veterinary capabilities. Through a combination of experienced specialists, modern medical infrastructure, and a commitment to compassionate patient care, WAVES aims to strengthen veterinary healthcare delivery and improve outcomes for pets requiring complex or emergency treatment.
Veterinarian-Led Hospital Rebuilds Access to Advanced Specialty Care
The opening of WAVES Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital comes after the sudden closure of Bay Area Veterinary Specialists (BAVS) in March 2026, an event that created a significant gap in emergency and referral veterinary services throughout the East Bay. Recognizing the urgent need to restore advanced veterinary care, former BAVS clinicians and operational leaders established WAVES to continue providing the high level of medical expertise that pet owners and primary care veterinarians had relied upon for nearly three decades. The hospital now offers round-the-clock emergency and critical care services seven days a week, while specialty departments including internal medicine, surgery, and oncology operate on scheduled weekdays.
The new facility combines advanced diagnostic capabilities with collaborative patient management, allowing referring veterinarians to access specialist expertise while ensuring continuity of care for complex medical and surgical cases. By preserving an experienced multidisciplinary clinical team and maintaining operations at the original BAVS location, WAVES minimizes disruption for both patients and veterinary professionals while strengthening specialty care capacity across Northern California.
Partnership Model Supports Long-Term Veterinary Innovation and Community Care
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To strengthen long-term operational sustainability, WAVES has partnered with Curo Pet Care, a family-owned veterinary organization that provides administrative and operational support while allowing the hospital’s veterinarian founders to maintain leadership of all clinical services. This collaborative ownership model combines clinical independence with operational expertise, enabling physicians to focus on delivering high-quality specialty care while supporting future growth and service expansion. Hospital leadership emphasized that the organization’s mission extends beyond emergency treatment by fostering transparent communication, collaboration with referring veterinarians, and compassionate support for pet families facing critical medical situations.
As demand for advanced veterinary medicine continues to increase, the reopening of a full-service emergency and specialty hospital restores essential healthcare infrastructure for the East Bay and reinforces the growing importance of specialized veterinary services in modern companion animal medicine. With expertise spanning emergency medicine, oncology, internal medicine, advanced surgery, and critical care, WAVES is positioned to provide comprehensive treatment for a wide range of complex conditions while continuing the legacy of specialty veterinary excellence established in the region. The hospital’s launch represents a major advancement in veterinary healthcare access, ensuring that pets throughout the East Bay once again have timely access to life-saving emergency treatment and specialized medical expertise whenever it is needed.
Source: WAVES Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital press release
