Veterinary services

The municipality is obliged to organise veterinary services that are essential in the public interest, which are guaranteed, where necessary, through public responsibility for their provision (Veterinary Services Act 285/2023, Section 8). The municipality must organise the services referred to in Section 8 at least for animals kept for food or fur production. In addition, immediate assessment and treatment must be provided in cases of sudden and serious illness, injury or worsening of an animal’s condition, where such care cannot be postponed without the condition worsening or the animal suffering significantly, as well as the euthanasia of an animal on animal welfare grounds (emergency veterinary care). Other services under Section 8 fall within the scope of the responsibility to organise them to the extent that their provision is necessary to ensure adequate and affordable regional availability of such services, as well as emergency veterinary care, and to ensure the appropriate care of foodand fur production animals. In determining the scope of veterinary services falling within the organiser’s responsibility, account has been taken of the services provided by private veterinary service providers within the organiser’s area.

Services falling within the organiser’s responsibility must be available for domestic animals whose owner or keeper resides or is domiciled within the organiser’s area. Veterinary services provided at the place where the animals are kept must be available for domestic animals kept within the municipality’s area. The municipality must ensure that veterinary services falling within its organisational responsibility are available on weekdays at least during office hours. Emergency veterinary care must also be provided for animals in need outside office hours. As an exception, emergency veterinary care must be provided for all domestic animals within the organiser’s, i.e. the municipality’s, area, unless it can be considered reasonable in the circumstances for the animal to be taken to receive veterinary care within the area of the municipality responsible for organising such services.

Veterinary services falling within the scope of the organiser’s responsibility must be available to service users within a reasonable time and at a reasonable distance, taking geographical circumstances into account. Veterinary services must be organised in such a way that a vet visits the place where the animals are kept, where necessary, when services are provided for domestic animals kept for foodor fur production, as well as for equines and other large domestic animals that cannot be transported to a veterinary practice without significant difficulty.

For urgent veterinary care required outside normal working hours, an on-call service must be organised in cooperation between the organisers within an on-call area covering one or more regions or counties. A centralised contact service must be established for the on-call area.

Within the area covered by the Keurusselkä Environmental and Health Protection Office, municipal vets in the cooperation area are responsible for providing urgent veterinary assistance during the day. Outside office hours, this responsibility is fulfilled by the veterinary on-call service. The on-call service is intended for emergencies only.

The organiser must ensure that it has suitable premises and equipment for the veterinary services it provides, taking into account the plan referred to in section 6 and the species and numbers of domestic animals kept within the organiser’s area. Veterinary services must be appropriate from a veterinary medicine perspective and, in terms of content and quality, such as required by legislation. The organiser must notify the Finnish Food Authority of the contact details of the premises where it provides veterinary services itself.

The organiser must charge the owner or keeper of a domestic animal for the veterinary services referred to in section 9 that it provides itself, when the domestic animal is treated at a veterinary surgery. The fee must be reasonable for the users of the services and may not exceed the costs incurred in providing the service. The organiser may also charge a fee to cover the costs incurred for a centralised contact service organised for the on-call area.

If a municipality provides veterinary services other than those referred to in Section 9, the municipal veterinarian may charge a fee and claim reimbursement for the services provided in accordance with the collective agreement. In addition to the fee and compensation, the organiser must charge the customer a share of the service price (payment for supplementary services). The Local Gove ment Act stipulates the obligation to price services offered in a competitive market on a market-based basis. The Competition Act stipulates the obligation to keep separate accounts for such activities. For the veterinary services to be organised, there must be appropriate premises and equipment commensurate with the quality and scope of the activities, as well as the staff required for the operations.

It is never the municipality’s responsibility to provide specialist veterinary care. With regard to surgical procedures, the municipality is only responsible for minor operations, such as the castration and spaying of cats, and emergency procedures, such as caesarean sections.

The veterinary clinics are equipped solely to provide basic veterinary services. The clinics have ultrasound machines, but no X-ray machines.

In addition to the fees for services covered by the municipal veterinary service and supplementary services, the vet will charge fees in accordance with the municipal veterinary fee schedule, as well as the costs of supplies and medication. The prices listed on the fee schedule are exclusive of tax.

Clinic fees charged for services falling under the responsibility of the organiser pursuant to Section 9 of the Veterinary Care Act (incl. VAT 25.5%)
Vaccination, euthanasia, nail clipping, follow-up visit, course of injections €5
Minor procedures (including spaying and neutering of cats) €10
Complex procedures (e.g. neutering of dogs, tartar removal) €15

In accordance with Section 17 of the Veterinary Care Act, fees charged for supplementary services (including VAT at 25.5%) The market-based hourly rate is €52.
The fee is charged to the client according to the time taken, rounded to the nearest 15 minutes, with a minimum charge of €13 (incl. VAT 25.5%). For some basic procedures, an estimated average time is provided. Prices are listed in the price
lists displayed at reception and are charged to the customer regardless of the actual duration of the procedure.

Equipment fees: Ultrasound examination
of small animals using the council’s small animal ultrasound machine: €15

The price lists for basic procedures provided by municipal veterinary services in the areas of Jämsä, Keuruu, Kuhmoinen, Mänttä-Vilppula, Ruovesi and Virrat are set out in the price list below. Prices for procedures are available from your local municipal veterinarian. 

Emergency veterinary service on weekdays from 4 pm to 8 am, and at weekends and on public holidays

The service is organised on a separate basis, with the city’s on-call veterinarian treating farm animals and large animals, whilst the Jyväskylä Animal Hospital, Vapaaherrantie 2, Jyväskylä, is responsible for the emergency care of pets and small animals.

Small Animal Emergency Service: 0600 306 084 (call charge: €1.97 per minute)

Emergency animal helpline: 0600 14 600 (call charge: €2.06 per minute)

The veterinary practice’s appointment booking slot is on weekday mo ings from 8am to 9am. During this time, non-urgent matters are dealt with and appointments are also booked for urgent cases. On weekdays after 9 am, please leave a message on the vet’s answering machine as instructed if your pet requires urgent treatment. The vet will contact the client as soon as possible. Clients are asked to contact their nearest veterinary practice in the first instance. Within the cooperation area, a vet is generally on duty every day at the clinics in Virrat, Mänttä-Vilppula and Jämsä. At the clinics in Ruovesi, Keuruu and Kuhmoinen, a vet is on duty as required.

• Jämsä, Ulla Keskinen, tel. 040 0344 565, Paattilantie 2, 42100 Jämsä
• Keuruu, Hanna Hannukainen, tel. 040 0643 565, Lapinmäentie 7, 42700 Keuruu
• Kuhmoinen, Sonja Virtanen, tel. 040 0344 566, Orivedentie 3, 17800 Kuhmoinen
• Mänttä-Vilppula, Pia Sarja, tel. 050 514 3353 (even-numbered weeks), Suokatu 4, 35700 Vilppula
• Ruovesi, tel. 040 506 8933, Urhontie 4, 34600 Ruovesi. Call forwarding in use.
  Please note: From 9 March 2026, the acting municipal vet will be Olli Aukio; tel. 040 1945528.
• Virrat, Outi Mattsson, tel. 044 715 1351, Sairaalantie 3, 34800 Virrat
• Locum vet Antti Mäkiaho covering the entire service area: Jämsä, Keuruu, Kuhmoinen, Mänttä-Vilppula, Ruovesi, Virrat, tel. 044 787 1364, address: Paattilantie 2, 42100 Jämsä
• Inspection Veterinarian, Jämsä, Keuruu, Kuhmoinen, Mänttä-Vilppula, Ruovesi, Virrat Tel. 040 170 6433, valvontaelainlaakari(at)keuruu.fi, Keuruuntie 22 A 2, 42700 Keuruu