Veterinary transportation and appointment chaperone

Get the pet to the appointment—with the right information, timing, and return plan.

Critter Car can provide one-way or round-trip veterinary transportation, remain during the visit, attend on the guardian’s behalf, carry records and medications, and complete the discharge handoff.

The clinic visit begins before the vehicle leaves.

Successful transport depends on the appointment purpose, clinic contact, animal’s handling and mobility needs, authorized decision-maker, payment arrangement, expected duration, and what must return home.

Transport only, wait-and-return, or appointment chaperone
Routine, specialty, diagnostic, dental, urgent, and follow-up visits
Records, medications, samples, discharge instructions, and equipment handoffs
Senior, mobility-limited, medically sensitive, or behaviorally sensitive animals by review

Levels of support

Choose what must happen between pickup and the return home.

One-way clinic transport

Pickup and direct handoff to the veterinary team or authorized receiving person. The guardian arranges clinic communication and payment.

Round trip with waiting

The driver remains available during the appointment and returns the pet to the confirmed destination.

Medical chaperone

We attend the appointment, present written questions, receive information, and return records, medications, and instructions.

Specialty and diagnostic visits

Transportation to imaging, oncology, cardiology, surgery, rehabilitation, dental, emergency, or other specialty facilities when confirmed.

Medication and supply pickup

Transport can include collecting approved prescriptions, diets, equipment, or supplies from the veterinary office.

Care-facility transfer

Move a pet between home, a hospital, rehabilitation, boarding, or another approved care provider.

Current pricing

Published options for clinic transportation and time.

Medical appointment round trip

  • Base: $249 round trip
  • Mileage: $4.99 per mile
  • Includes waiting time up to one hour
  • Additional waiting or chaperone time: $1.50 per minute
  • Parking and after-hours fees may apply

Express transport

  • Published base: $349 plus $4.99 per mile
  • For time-critical requests where arrival within 60 minutes is requested
  • Available only when a driver, route, animal, and receiving facility can be confirmed
  • Not an ambulance and not a substitute for emergency veterinary instructions

Chaperone preparation

Give the driver authority to communicate—not to invent the care plan.

Before pickup, contact the clinic, identify Critter Car as the transporter, authorize release of information, establish payment, and provide written priorities. The veterinary team remains responsible for medical assessment and treatment; the guardian or authorized decision-maker remains responsible for consent.

Guardian information

Provide the decision-maker’s name, live phone number, backup contact, payment arrangement, and limits on authorized care.

Clinical information

Provide the appointment purpose, symptoms, medication list, recent records, mobility concerns, carrier plan, and handling warnings.

Return instructions

Identify who will receive the pet, where medications and paperwork go, and whether follow-up transport or monitoring is needed.

Emergency limitations

Critter Car is ground transportation, not veterinary emergency care.

Call the clinic first

For a potentially life-threatening condition, contact an emergency veterinary hospital and follow its instructions before requesting transportation.

No onboard medical treatment

Drivers do not diagnose, prescribe, administer unplanned treatment, or replace a veterinary ambulance or medically equipped response team.

Transport may be declined

A trip may be refused or redirected when the animal cannot be transported safely, the receiving facility is not confirmed, or the situation exceeds available capability.

Express transport is not an emergency guarantee. It is a time-critical ground-transport request considered only when the route, driver, animal, and receiving facility can all be confirmed.

Need a veterinary trip reviewed?

Send the clinic, appointment time, pickup and return addresses, animal condition, carrier and mobility needs, expected duration, and whether Critter Car must wait or attend.

Request Vet Transport