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Island Animal Hospital sets opening date for new Palm Beach clinic

Harry October 29, 2024

The only animal hospital on the island of Palm Beach is moving to a new home.

Ada Animal Hospital plans to open on November 4 Its new location at 285 Sunrise Ave. The owner of the practice, which has been around for 30 years, is Dr. Mary Ellen Scully said she worked at a former Chase bank branch. The clinic’s current location is 262 Sunset Ave. He said his last day at his address would be October 30.

“Everyone is excited for this,” Scully said. “This is a chance for us to move and change things for the better and embrace that change.”

He said the clinic will close between Oct. 31 and Nov. 3 to complete the move to the new office.

“If all the stars align, November 4th will be the first day in the new office,” Scully said.

Island Animal Hospital was founded in 1995 in a small office on Royal Palm Way in Palm Beach. In 2000, the clinic purchased the former single-family home on Sunset Boulevard and transformed the bungalow into a vibrant animal health practice.

Scully joined Island Animal Hospital that same year, and in 2022, her former owner, Dr. Brad Ochstein assumed ownership of the hospital when he retired.

The 1920 bungalow, home of Island Animal Hospital for more than 20 years, was sold in 2022 to a company controlled by New England Development, which owns the White Elephant Palm Beach hotel next door. New England Development’s president and chief executive officer is part-time Palm Beach resident Stephen R. Karp.

To complete the move one block north of the old Chase branch, the Town Council unanimously approved a special exception at the December 2023 Development Review Committee meeting allowing a new veterinary office to open in a township on a site larger than 3,000 square feet. It serves the commercial area. It also approved a variance allowing a veterinarian’s office to be located on the ground floor of a building rather than the first floor.

Scully said the new office space will have a different look than the current space.

“You can’t recreate the charm and uniqueness of this building,” he said. “This just doesn’t translate to the new building.”

The new location also has more parking, which is “huge,” Scully said. Instead of lugging an aging dog or cat carrier up Sunset Boulevard, customers will have a much shorter walk, he said.

Past Scope: From Sunset to Sunrise: Longtime Palm Beach veterinary clinic continues to move forward with new location

“For convenience, it will make people’s lives easier if they let their pets through the door,” Scully said.

Although the square footage at 285 Sunrise Ave. is slightly smaller, Scully said the space there will be used more efficiently, giving Island Animal Hospital an additional exam room.

Another change will be less visible to customers: Scully said Island Animal Hospital is taking the opportunity to digitize all medical files and add new ways to connect with the hospital, including the option to send text messages.

While there is some sadness about leaving their current home, she said she is looking forward to the new space the Island Animal Hospital team has created for their clients.

Scully said the clinic may hold a celebration for its new home in early December.

For more information about Island Animal Hospital adahayvanhospital.com or call 561-833-8552.

Kristina Webb is a reporter for the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at: [email protected]. Subscribe today To support our journalism.