Veterinarians treat a kitten at the Animal Medical Center, which overs veterinary service in NYC.
Photo courtesy of the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center
Calling all animal enthusiasts and anyone who cares about the well-being of pets and wildlife: NYC’s Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC) completed a milestone year in 2025, welcoming nearly 60,000 furred, feathered and finned patients to its East Side location in Manhattan.
Ground-dwelling forest creatures, law enforcement K-9s and many of NYC’s pets, including cats, dogs, bunnies and birds, were among the critters who received care last year, according to the hospital’s 2025 Impact Report, released on March 3.
An AMC veterinarian examines Waldo, a 25-year-old crested gecko, in the new surgical institute at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Diane Bondareff/AP Content Services for the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center)
Simultaneously, the hospital completed a $125 million, 83,000-square-foot remodeling in December. The human heroes, including new senior veterinarians working across more than 20 specialties, were able to treat 59,867 animals, despite the ongoing construction.
The emergency room alone welcomed about 16,700 patients in 2025, as the hospital remained open and operational all day, every day, throughout renovations.
“2025 marked a defining moment in the history of the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center as we opened the doors to our fully reimagined hospital, welcomed tens of thousands of patients, advanced peer-reviewed research, and donated millions in charitable care,” Helen Irving, RN, MBA, president and CEO of the AMC said. “Looking ahead to 2026, we will continue to further our commitment to the future of veterinary medicine while honoring AMC’s long-standing legacy of compassionate care, education, and research.”
The smallest patient was the weight of a jellybean
The largest animal treated at AMC in 2025 was a Mastiff weighing 196 pounds, while the smallest animal was a 0.002-pound snail—about the weight of a jellybean.
The oldest animal to be treated at AMC in 2025 was a shelled senior: a 71-year-old box turtle.
A Bronx ‘tail’: The story of Esme
Pets, especially dogs, love to chew things that are not meant to be chewed. Among the items animals accidentally ingested last year were Christmas lights, squeaky balls and socks.
The hospital gave these animals, and thousands of others, the treatment they needed to be happy and healthy. A story of note, according to AMC veterinarians, is that of Esme, a young kitten found injured and unable to move in a Bronx schoolyard during last year’s holiday season. Rescuers spotted her on the pavement, suffering from two broken femurs as she struggled to lift her body, meowing from the pain.
Rescuers rushed her to the AMC, where veterinarians performed life-saving orthopedic surgery on the friendly feline, and just days later, she was able to walk again.
Esme, being treated by AMC staff.Photo courtesy Schwarzman Animal Medical Center
Katherin Quesenberry, DVM, and chief medical officer at AMC, credited the rescuers and the hospital’s skilled and compassionate staff for Esme’s survival.
“For over 115 years, pet parents of New York and beyond have trusted AMC to provide their furry, feathered, and scaly animal companions with world-class veterinary care and attention,” Quesenberry said. “With the completion of our record expansion and renovation—from expanded services to new technologies—AMC is fully equipped to lead veterinary medicine into the future.”
About the Animal Medical Center
The AMC is an iconic institution that opened in 1910. It is known as the world’s largest veterinary teaching hospital, and has NYC’s only level 1 animal trauma center. The emergency room is open 24 hours a day.
“Looking ahead to 2026, we will continue to further our commitment to the future of veterinary medicine while honoring AMC’s long-standing legacy of compassionate care, education, and research,” Irving said.
To learn more about the AMC, visit amcny.org.