HEBRON, Ky. — Pets in northern Kentucky that need medical attention will get top-notch attention thanks to a state-of-the-art facility that can handle any pet emergency.

Located roughly 10 miles south of Cincinnati, the Hebron Animal Hospital is an 8,750-square-foot pet care center has special rooms for laser surgery, dentistry, ultrasound, anesthesia, gastro-intestinal ailments and orthopedic surgery. To many it may seem more like a general hospital for people rather than a facility for pets.

The idea was the brainstorm of Dr. Greg Lloyd, who, along with Dr. Jeff Greenfield and Dr. David Hale, erected the two-story structure at a cost of $2 million.

“We can handle cats, dogs, gerbels - you name it, we can handle it - we just don’t do large animals here at this time,” said veterinary assistant Ryan Courtade.

High-tech? Of course. The facility has web cams so pet owners can check on the progress of surgeries and other procedures as they happen. On weekends, the staff can log on to the web and check on the condition of any pet in the facility from their own homes.

“We desperately needed the space as we were running into each other at the old facility,” Courtade said. “We oftentimes had three doctors working at the same time, and there just wasn’t enough room.”

There is a break room for staff, locker rooms, a shipping-and-receiving area, a special room that houses oxygen tanks and a presentation room for the staff. The staff takes pride in the new facility, which has been in place for six weeks now.

“The thought is what would we want if our pet was on the table? We’d want the best facility and equipment available for that pet, and that’s what we have here,” said Tara Osborne, one of three registered technicians on the staff and owner of two dogs, five cats, chickens and horses.

And there are permanent residents guarding the facility as well. Gambe, an albino Doberman, and Molly, a long-hair mix, roam the premise freely and help keep patrons and animal patients feeling right at home.

The facility, with six examination rooms, even has separate waiting rooms for owners of cats and dogs.

The hospital had been located on Ernst Lane in Hebron since it was opened in 1977. But zoning regulations prevented the expansion desired by the owners. The new center will allow for boarding and kennels in addition to veterinary services.

The hospital is open six days a week. The hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The facility is open each Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.