A veterinary company that offers emergency pet services at 40 locations across the nation is preparing to open its newest hospital in Palo Alto's Ventura neighborhood.

The Veterinary Emergency Group has applied to open a 24/7 pet hospital at 3903 El Camino Real, a commercial building near Ventura Avenue that is currently vacant and that once housed the Star One Credit Union.

The plan calls for building out the interior space of the building with "everything needed to help people and their pets when they need it most," Jennifer Hanlon, director of Real Estate and Development for Veterinary Emergency Group said in an email.

"This will include a surgery suite, x-ray room & VEG's signature open treatment area, which allows us to keep people with their pets together in all phases of treatment," Hanlon said in an email.

Veterinary Emergency Group, she said, is the only veterinary company that focuses solely on pet emergencies and is open 24/7 to "help pet parents with emergencies when their family veterinarian is closed."

The company, which is based in White Plains, New York, filed its application for a conditional use permit to modify and move into the building in November and the city is currently reviewing the proposal. According to a letter from its attorney, Mark Loper, VEG performs impatient and outpatient care for dogs, cats and other small household pets such as birds, rabbits, guinea pigs and small reptiles.

Hanlon said Veterinary Emergency Group currently operates in 14 states, including California, Arizona, New York, Texas and Massachusetts. The company chose Palo Alto as its next location because this would allow it to provide care to various Silicon Valley communities.

"Positioning on El Camino Real offers VEG visibility and easy access within the community for pets who need emergency care," she said in an email.