Cutting the Ribbon on a New Era in Veterinary Medicine

For more than a century, the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center has stood as a lifeline for pets and the people who love them. Last December, following a four-year, $125 million, 83,000-square-foot transformation — made possible through the generosity of many donors to our Gift of Love capital campaign — the new AMC has reopened, fully reimagining how emergency and specialty care is delivered to meet the growing needs of the pets of New York City and beyond.  

Emergency and Critical Care Without Compromise

Every story at AMC begins the same way: with a pet in need.

Whether it’s a dog struck by a car, a cat in respiratory distress, or a sudden medical emergency in the middle of the night, the hospital’s Emergency & Critical Care Service is often the first — and most crucial — point of care.

Our new Emergency Room is triple the size of our old space and supports faster triage, improved patient flow, and immediate access to diagnostics, allowing teams to stabilize patients more efficiently during life-threatening situations. The enhanced layout minimizes delays, improves communication, and prioritizes efficiency when every second counts.

Directly connected to the ER is a state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit. The new ICU increases capacity for round-the-clock monitoring and advanced life support, with purpose-built spaces that allow clinicians to manage the most complex and fragile cases. Here, critically ill patients receive constant oversight in an environment designed to support both recovery and rapid response when conditions change.

For pet owners, these improvements translate into clarity during chaos — a hospital that’s a source of stability when they need it most. For clinicians, it means practicing emergency and critical care in a space that matches their expertise, reinforcing AMC’s role as New York City’s only Level I Veterinary Trauma Center.

Beyond Stabilization: Specialty Care Built to Go Further

But emergency care is only one part of the story.

AMC’s renovation and expansion elevates nearly every one of our 20+ specialties and services. Key services like Internal Medicine, Neurology, Cardiology, Ophthalmology, Radiology, and Avian & Exotics now operate within purpose-designed clinical spaces, improving our ability to deliver cutting-edge care to more patients.

At the heart of this evolution is the Denise & Michael Kellen Institute for Surgical Care, a landmark addition comprising the entire seventh floor of the hospital. With more than 7,000 square feet dedicated to surgery, five advanced operating rooms, a minor procedure suite, and separate recovery areas for cats and dogs, the institute sets a new standard for veterinary surgery. The space also supports AMC’s expanding minimally invasive surgical offerings — including laparoscopic and thoracoscopic techniques — allowing for greater precision, smaller incisions, and faster recovery times for patients.

A New Chapter for a Historic Institution

Together, these investments strengthen AMC’s ability to care for tens of thousands of patients each year — from the intensity of the emergency room to the precision of specialty surgery — while continuing its mission as a nonprofit institution dedicated to world-class care, industry-leading education, and advanced research.

As the doors open on this new chapter, the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center stands ready not just for the next emergency, but for the next century of veterinary medicine — delivering lifesaving care when it matters most, and advanced specialty care when it matters just as much.

Educating pet owners and advocating for the well-being of our animal companions is central to the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center’s non-profit mission. AMC’s Usdan Institute for Animal Health Education puts that mission into action, leveraging our clinical expertise to educate, empower, and connect pet owners and animal lovers of all ages with trusted, science-based information.

Bringing the Community Together — In Person and Online

The Usdan Institute represents AMC at a wide range of community events throughout New York City. In addition to producing its own signature events — PAW Day and the Concert for Canines & Their Companions — the Institute participates in high-profile events including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum Walk/Run, AKC’s Meet the Breeds, Broadway Barks, the Muddy Paws Rescue Block Party, the NYC Emergency Management’s Pet and Service Animal Preparedness Fair, and Halloween Howl at Carl Schurz Park. The Institute also maintains a weekly pet health newsletter reaching close to 40,000 pet lovers and runs an annual Vet Camp for children, inspiring the next generation of veterinary professionals and animal advocates.

Monthly Webinars that Reach Far Beyond NYC

One of the Institute’s signature offerings is its series of free monthly webinars, where board-certified specialists and seasoned clinicians share insights on topics ranging from thyroid disease to behavioral best practices. These online events — accessible to anyone, anywhere — help demystify complex conditions, spotlight preventive care, and reinforce the message that knowledge is key to the well-being of the human-animal bond. Attendees can also stream past webinars on demand, allowing busy families to access essential pet health education at their own pace.

View Past Lectures

Pet Tips That Fit in Your Pocket

The Usdan team brings education into everyday moments with Usdan Pet Tips — bite-sized wellness advice shared weekly across social media platforms. Whether it’s seasonal safety tips, behavior cues, or nutrition know-how, these tips help pet parents make smart care decisions every day. Through engaging visuals and clear takeaways, Usdan Pet Tips deepen engagement and spread pet health knowledge to pet parents wherever they are.

Top Posts of 2025:

365 days a year, the Usdan Institute for Animal Health Education transforms knowledge into action — empowering pet families with tools and resources to be the best advocate for their pets. Through monthly webinars, community events, an authoritative pet health library, engaging social content, and creative kids’ programming, it builds healthier lives for pets and stronger connections between people and animals everywhere.

Research is central to AMC’s mission. Through the Caspary Research Institute, AMC clinicians and scientists translate ideas into knowledge — advancing veterinary medicine and improving outcomes for animals everywhere.

From uncovering the mechanisms of disease to refining diagnostics and treatments, AMC’s research turns clinical insight into meaningful progress for companion animals and the people who love them.

Resident Research: Training Tomorrow’s Leaders Through Discovery

As part of their three-year postgraduate training, AMC veterinary residents complete original research projects designed to expand veterinary knowledge and improve patient care.

To showcase this work, AMC hosted its first-ever Resident Research Poster Session on June 25, 2025 — bringing new energy to a long-standing tradition of resident scholarship. Taking advantage of our new conference space, 13 graduating residents presented their work in an in-person poster session, engaging colleagues across the hospital in lively discussion.

The studies reflected the depth of AMC’s caseload and the wide-ranging questions that emerge from hands-on clinical care — spanning disease description, patient care improvement, and investigations of unusual and complex cases. The event concluded with the presentation of the Connie Leifer Resident Research Award, honoring outstanding resident-led research and reinforcing AMC’s commitment to training the next generation of veterinary leaders.

The three co-winners of the Connie Leifer Resident Research Award, from left to right: Dr. Rachel Lordahl, Dr. Danielle T.H. Tran, Dr. Hunter Enderle

Peer-Reviewed Publications: Expanding Knowledge Beyond Our Hospital Walls

In 2025, AMC clinicians published peer-reviewed publications spanning disciplines — from emergency and critical care to oncology, cardiology, surgery, diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation, and exotic animal medicine. These studies share the knowledge generated by AMC’s expert clinicians — strengthening diagnostics, identifying risk factors, informing prevention strategies, and refining every aspect of care delivery. The impact extends far beyond AMC’s walls, improving outcomes for companion animals worldwide.

View the Full Publication List