North Paws Veterinary Center Expanding Hours

North Paws Veterinary Center at 564 Putnam Pike is expanding its hours after nine years caring for Smithfield area pets, so now clients won't have to do without the care they've grown accustomed to.

Effective immediately, NorthPaws is open for emergency and critical care appointments until 12:00am Monday through Friday, and from 9:00am to 3:00pm on Sundays. Over the summer we hope to expand our hours until 1 a.m. during the week, and until 7 p.m. on the weekends, with the ultimate goal to become a 24-hour facility in the very near future.

The center has also expanded its team to include several veterinary professionals. With the addition of these experienced veterinarians, we are able to expand our patient base to now include care for pocket pets, birds and reptiles.

"With extended evening, weekend and holiday hours and welcoming several new team members dedicated to serving your pets' after hour emergency needs, we promise to be there for you and your pet when you need us most," the center's release reads.

Veterinarians Mark and Danielle Paradise, co-owners of the center, opened shop in Greenville in 2004. The couple, he from New Jersey and she from Florida, were interested in opening their own practice, but it had to be near the ocean. "I was a big sailor," Paradise said.

But Greenville wasn't just selected as the spot for their business based on proximity to the sea. Paradise did his research, mapped out all the veterinary clinics in the state, marked them on a map with pushpins, and carefully picked the best spot for their care center.

Then, it was just Paradise. Now, they've got two Veterinary Medical Doctors (Mark and Danielle) and five doctors of veterinary medicine. The team practices in what used to be a big house - less clinical, so pets and people feel more comfortable. The space has separate dog and cat reception rooms, separate cat and dog wards, a pharmacy, operating room and station for pre-processing medical samples.

Paradise said he and his team go out of their way to provide the best care possible to their clients' pets. When they have to go someplace else because North Paws isn't open, he said, they tell him they don't want to do without North Paws. Now, they're a lot less likely to need to.