About Veterinary Care in Shetland
This guide to veterinary clinics in Shetland, Scotland helps pet owners compare county-wide veterinary options based on services, animal coverage, and availability. It summarises what is available locally and highlights the highest-rated options to support a practical shortlist.
Top-rated veterinary clinics in Shetland
There are 3 veterinary clinics in Shetland, with an average Google rating of 4.8★. All 3 clinics treat dogs and cats. 2 clinics offer farm or large-animal services. 2 clinics offer emergency or out-of-hours care. A 24-hour service is explicitly stated by Shetland Vets, so 24-hour veterinary cover exists in the county.
Geographic coverage
Shetland has 1 town. Sample towns: Shetland. Even within a small county footprint, availability and service mix can vary by town depending on which practice is operating locally and whether it provides out-of-hours cover.
Services and what you can verify from local data
Across the county, the service mix is weighted toward companion-animal care, with all 3 clinics seeing dogs and cats and a substantial mixed-practice element (2 offering farm services and 2 offering equine work). Emergency or out-of-hours care is available from 2 clinics, which matters for urgent presentations when waiting for the next routine appointment is not appropriate.
From an evidence perspective, there are 150 total Google reviews across the 3 clinics, and all 3 clinics have websites, making it easier to confirm opening arrangements and service scope before registering. Review content available for Shetland Vets repeatedly highlights step-by-step explanations during appointments and active handling strategies for nervous or rescue dogs (including suggested “hello visits” for positive, non-treatment introductions), and it also includes a specific mention of an overnight inpatient stay for a cat.
Emergency and out-of-hours care versus routine-only provision
With 2 clinics offering emergency or out-of-hours care, urgent access is present but not universal across providers. For pet owners, this usually affects where you register and how you plan for sudden problems outside normal opening times, particularly if you prefer continuity with the same practice that holds your clinical history. The remaining clinic(s) without emergency cover still contribute by handling routine and non-urgent work, which can reduce pressure on out-of-hours providers and improve appointment availability for preventive care.
Veterinary nurse training availability
There are 0 clinics offering veterinary nurse (VN) training in the county. Practically, this means training placements are not part of local provision, so there is no choice to be made on that basis when comparing vets in Shetland. For owners, this is mainly relevant if you value a clinic’s role as a formal training site; you will need to use other comparators such as emergency availability, species coverage, and review depth.
The role of routine-focused clinics in the county
Routine-focused provision (for example, vaccinations, parasite control, repeat prescriptions, and scheduled health checks) remains central to the county’s overall caseload, and it is the main way most owners will interact with local practices. Based on the available clinic information, Shetland Vets also offers a Pet Health Plan designed to spread the cost of routine preventive treatments, which is relevant for owners who prefer a predictable monthly approach. Where a clinic does not offer out-of-hours cover, it can still be a strong fit for straightforward care if you are comfortable with separate arrangements for emergencies.
Overall, key services are concentrated among a small number of providers because the county has only 3 clinics and emergency cover is not offered by all of them.
Animal focus
Clinics in Shetland are primarily mixed-practice with a companion-animal baseline: all clinics see dogs and cats, while farm-animal and equine services are each available from 2 clinics.
In summary, Shetland has a small, high-rated clinic base with universal dog-and-cat provision, limited but present large-animal and equine coverage, and emergency care available from 2 providers—use the ranked clinic list above to choose the best fit for your species and access needs.
Data last reviewed: January 2026.
Top Vets in Shetland
Highly rated veterinary clinics across Shetland, ranked by service quality and reviews
Shetland Vets is a veterinary clinic founded in 1985, offering routine pet care alongside equine and farm-animal work, with a stated 24-hour service. Reviews most often describe clear, step-by-step explanations during appointments, overnight inpatient care for a cat, and a notably dog-friendly approach for nervous or rescue pets (including letting a puppy explore staff-only areas and inviting “hello visits” to keep vet trips positive). One reviewer also notes that veterinary care “is not cheap,” without giving prices.
Shetland Vets is a veterinary clinic founded in 1985, offering routine pet care alongside equine and farm-animal work, with a stated 24-hour service. Reviews most often describe clear, step-by-step explanations during appointments, overnight inpatient care for a cat, and a notably dog-friendly approach for nervous or rescue pets (including letting a puppy explore staff-only areas and inviting “hello visits” to keep vet trips positive). One reviewer also notes that veterinary care “is not cheap,” without giving prices.
Shetland Vets is an independent veterinary clinic founded in 1985, with three surgeries and a “24 hour service” stated on its website. It appears set up as a mixed practice: the website lists care for pets, equine, and farm animals, alongside “Isles visits.” In the latest reviews available to us, owners most often describe being seen quickly for urgent problems and being talked through aftercare—one detailed account mentions an emergency appointment for a dog with a large bite wound, with staff handling a frightened dog gently and keeping owners at ease with the advice given. Clean kennels and a rest area are also specifically mentioned in that review.
Shetland Vets is an independent veterinary clinic founded in 1985, with three surgeries and a “24 hour service” stated on its website. It appears set up as a mixed practice: the website lists care for pets, equine, and farm animals, alongside “Isles visits.” In the latest reviews available to us, owners most often describe being seen quickly for urgent problems and being talked through aftercare—one detailed account mentions an emergency appointment for a dog with a large bite wound, with staff handling a frightened dog gently and keeping owners at ease with the advice given. Clean kennels and a rest area are also specifically mentioned in that review.
Shetland Vets is a veterinary clinic founded in 1985 by Jim and Juliet Nicolson, and the website describes a dedicated team with three surgeries and a stated 24-hour service. The clinic appears set up as a mixed practice: along with pet services like a Pet Health Plan and repeat prescriptions, it also lists equine care, farm animal services, and “isles visits.” In recent reviews available to us, owners most often describe staff as friendly and helpful (including help with “doggy import problems”), while one review reports a poor communication experience around collecting a pet after it was put to rest, and another owner comments that the practice is “expensive.”
Shetland Vets is a veterinary clinic founded in 1985 by Jim and Juliet Nicolson, and the website describes a dedicated team with three surgeries and a stated 24-hour service. The clinic appears set up as a mixed practice: along with pet services like a Pet Health Plan and repeat prescriptions, it also lists equine care, farm animal services, and “isles visits.” In recent reviews available to us, owners most often describe staff as friendly and helpful (including help with “doggy import problems”), while one review reports a poor communication experience around collecting a pet after it was put to rest, and another owner comments that the practice is “expensive.”
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