About Pets After Dark
A tele-health veterinary service built so you never have to face a late-night question alone.
Co-founders Caroline Simard-Swimmer, DVM, her husband Howard Swimmer, CEO, and their beloved pets Mabel Z and Dixie Ray.
Created to Bring Expert, After-Hours Veterinary Care to You
Pets After Dark was founded by Caroline Simard-Swimmer, DVM, Medical Director and a practicing veterinarian, and her husband, CEO Howard Swimmer, an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader. In Pets After Dark they've developed a much-needed tele-health veterinary care service that gives you after-hours access to your regular vet or a local vet who knows your regular vet. As a subscriber you'll get reliable answers to your care questions and concerns – for new peace of mind during weeknights and weekends.
Meet the Founders
Built for pet parents, by pet parents.
Dr. Caroline Simard-Swimmer
DVM, Medical Director, Pets After Dark
Mission
“Your peace of mind.”
Getting expert answers to after-hours veterinary questions and concerns can be a daunting problem for pet parents. I founded Pets After Dark to connect you to answers — from your regular vet or a local vet who knows your regular vet.
Dr. Caroline Simard-Swimmer has delighted pet parents at Point Breeze Veterinary Clinic, a leading Pittsburgh clinic, for over twenty years. During that time she has successfully diagnosed and treated a vast array of veterinary diseases and conditions, from the very serious to the everyday. After graduating from La Faculté de médecine vétérinaire of the Université de Montréal in 1994, Dr. Simard-Swimmer spent three years in emergency and critical care before opening her own practice there. In 2003 she relocated to Pittsburgh, where she resides with her husband and Pets After Dark co-founder Howard Swimmer and their beloved Puli, Mabel Z., and Australian Shepherd, Dixie Ray. "A veterinarian but also very much a pet parent," says Dr. Simard-Swimmer. "I understand the stress that after-hours questions and issues can cause, and the relief that comes with expert answers, compassionately delivered. That's why Howard and I are so proud to bring you Pets After Dark."
Howard Swimmer
CEO, Pets After Dark
Mission
“A new and better way.”
We started with a deep understanding of the after-hours needs and concerns of pet parents, then developed a new and better way of satisfying them. As a Pets After Dark subscriber, during nights and weekends you'll now be able to connect with your regular vet or a local vet who knows your regular vet.
Howard Swimmer is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pets After Dark, a cutting-edge after-hours veterinary care service built to help pet owners get real answers when their vet is closed. He leads the company's strategy, product development, and partnerships, focused on helping people make confident, informed decisions in stressful moments — while keeping care connected to their primary veterinarian. With over 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, Howard has built and grown businesses across consumer products and manufacturing. He is also the founder of HRS Unlimited, where he has developed internationally recognized guitar brands, working alongside master builders and professional touring musicians. For Pets After Dark, his focus is simple: create something people actually use when they need it most — when it's late, something feels off, and they're not sure what to do next.
The Pets After Dark Difference
When you need after-hours answers there's nothing more reassuring than connecting with your regular veterinarian or a local vet who knows them. PAD Premium subscribers get additional benefits, including a guaranteed in-person appointment with your regular veterinarian the next business day. The peace of mind that comes with expert answers. That's what Pets After Dark uniquely provides, in a convenient, caring and empathetic way.
Not Every Emergency Is An Emergency
In the large majority of cases your Pets After Dark vet can give you the answers you need to get through the night or weekend without a visit to an ER clinic. However, Pets After Dark does have strategic partnerships with leading Pittsburgh ER clinics. If our on-call vet feels an immediate ER clinic visit is necessary they will call the clinic for you, and with your permission will share their observations and forward your pet's medical summary.
Answers to Big Questions and Small
Pet parenthood means care questions and concerns that don't stop coming on nights or weekends. Rely on us for expert answers and know that no question or concern is too small. In addition to issues that seem time-critical feel free to ask us about diet, behavioral training, medications, breed-specific tendencies, socialization, optimal pre and post operation care and more.