Ark Veterinary Clinics Ltd

Ark Veterinary Clinics Ltd in Coatbridge was founded in 1994 and treats dogs and cats as well as a broad range of exotic pets, including reptiles, birds and small mammals. The practice is also described as a veterinary nurse training practice, which fits review mentions of students being involved in appointments. Recent feedback is mixed but generally positive, with especially strong comments around exotic-pet care, rabbit work, acupuncture, dental support and compassionate end-of-life care, alongside some complaints about costs, communication and front-desk service.

Services

•Dogs and cats: General first-opinion care is reflected in reviews, including puppy vaccinations, dental treatment and ongoing support for older pets.
•Exotic pets: The clinic’s website specifically mentions reptiles, birds and small mammals, and reviews add examples including rabbits, guinea pigs, a budgie and a cockatiel. Owners describe referrals, thorough examinations, gentle handling, time spent explaining next steps, and surgery for a rabbit lump.
•Pain and mobility support: Acupuncture is specifically mentioned, with one owner saying regular sessions helped a pet’s sore back.
•Dental treatment: Reviews mention phased dental treatment for an anxious dog, with follow-up communication during recovery.
•End-of-life care: Compassionate euthanasia is described in a review about a budgie.
•Hospital and emergency care: Overnight stays and hospitalisation are mentioned in reviews, and emergency veterinary services are listed in the clinic information, though out-of-hours arrangements are not detailed here.
•Training environment: The practice is described as a veterinary nurse training facility, and reviews also mention students or student vets being present during appointments.

Pricing

Published prices suggest the clinic sits below average, based on a partial sample of comparable services. Review comments are mixed: some owners describe the clinic as very affordable or very reasonable, while others complain about rising costs, including £150 for one overnight stay and a £300 quote to remove a puppy tooth.

People

•Laura: Repeatedly praised for taking time with owners, answering questions and helping improve pets’ quality of life.
•Katherine: Credited with acupuncture that helped a pet with back pain.
•Shannon (Vet Nurse): Praised for caring for an anxious dog during phased dental treatment and keeping up clear communication through recovery.
•Madonna: Frequently mentioned in exotic-pet care, especially rabbits, and thanked in a recent review alongside her team. Positive reviews praise her surgery decisions, patience, kindness and aftercare, though some complaints mention disagreements around payment handling and one guinea pig case.
•Krissie: Mentioned positively by name in a complaint as a team member the owner had no issue with.
•Riley and Doolittle Thank: Names mentioned in past reviews.
•Reviews also refer to students or student vets being involved in appointments.

Reviews

Ark Veterinary Clinics Ltd has a 4.7/5 Google rating from 547 reviews, giving it a strong review base overall. Recent written feedback shows a mixed picture, with more positive clinical comments than negative ones, but a clear split between praise for veterinary care and criticism of service experience.

•Exotic and rabbit care remains a standout theme: owners describe thorough examinations, calm handling of birds and small pets, thoughtful surgery decisions and detailed aftercare.
•Named staff receive strong praise: Madonna, Laura, Katherine and Shannon are singled out for kindness, patience, clear explanations and support with longer-term or more complex cases.
•Value is viewed differently by different owners: some say prices are very affordable or reasonable, while others feel fees have risen too much.
•Main complaints focus on customer service and logistics: recent negatives mention rude or inflexible front-desk interactions, busy phone lines, waiting outside or longer waits, parking difficulties, and one serious complaint about guinea pig care.

Reviews for Ark Veterinary Clinics Ltd

Note: Showing the 10 most recent Google reviews out of 547 we track in total. Recent reviews may not be representative of overall sentiment.

Ryan Hughes-Francis (RHF)

2 weeks ago

The team have been excellent. Thank you to Madonna and her team so far...

John Nicoll

3 weeks ago

Chloe Fiddler

Very lovely staff, waited the usual time but I didn’t mind as I got to see many cute pets come in, took my cockatiel in, handled nicely with no problems, friendly environment, straight forward, easy appointment and very affordable prices, I very much recommend.

C Lee

Used to be a great place but recently have lost personal touch, too long to go into but their customer service is shocking and front facing staff are more interested in following policy and are black and white no grey areas. Even if mistake is theirs. Please go back to making pets priority. Vets are great

Chloe Docherty

4 weeks ago

Excellent veterinary practice :)

Ali

6 months ago

My 2 dogs were registered here as they were the only vet taking on new clients last year when I got the dogs, their very first jag was a week late as this vets refused to vaccinate them for a week, secondly the second jag we had to wait outside, holding 2 riggly rottweiler pups at almost 12kg for half an hour after our appointment in the rain. If we had seats we would have been a lot more comfortable. We couldn’t put them down as they obviously haven’t been fully vaccinated, they then proceeded to tell me one of my dogs teeth wasn’t going to grow in properly and tried to charge me £300 to have ONE puppy tooth removed.. when it was going to fall out anyway. I also was not comfortable putting a 12 week old puppy through the process of a operation. I got another vets opinion and they said his teeth were fine. He’s now got all his adult teeth with no issues. So glad I didn’t waste £300 on a treatment that wasn’t necessary. Their phone lines are busy 9 times out of 10 and it’s a nightmare to try get through to them. The parking at the vets is awful and I am in the process of changing my vets to somewhere closer. They also don’t send you reminders of when your dogs jags are due!

maurizio de benedictis

Angela Hillen

I had a very disappointing experience with this veterinary practice. The staff were incredibly rude, showing little to no compassion or patience! The level of professionalism was extremely poor. What concerned me most was that they didn’t seem to care about the welfare of my dog at all! Their approach felt careless and lacking any genuine concern for my pet’s wellbeing. Overall, I would not recommend this clinic to anyone who values respectful service and proper care for their pets. It was an unpleasant experience, and I will definitely be going elsewhere in the future. AVOID!!

Amanda King

7 months ago

Emily Stephenson

Wonderful exotics vet with experienced staff including one of the world’s leading rabbit experts, Madonna (who literally wrote the book on small furry care). She deftly removed a large lump on our elderly rabbit’s leg, making sensible & thoughtful surgery decisions throughout, answering our questions with patience & kindness, & giving us personalised, thorough aftercare. The staff are all so kind, & we often meet student vets learning their trade there, which speaks to the openness & expertise of the vet staff. Animals are priceless, of course, but the rates are also very reasonable.