Bloomington pet owners have a new option for emergency care.

Pitties and Pals, which opened Sunday, expands emergency veterinary services for cats and dogs to include weekends and evenings.

Read more: New veterinary urgent care to open

At an opening celebration Saturday morning, a pit bull named Noodles helped bite through a red ribbon to officially open the new facility on West Second Street.

Veterinarian Kami Graber said the new location was responding to community demand for more emergency and urgent care services.

“Vets are really overwhelmed. There are way more patients than vets can handle,” she said. “It's just a huge need that I've heard from people in the town, for even after-hours, not overnight, but until 8 p.m., weekends, just when people need it most.”

It will initially operate five days per week, closing Tuesdays and Wednesdays. But Graber said she planned to hire another veterinarian and expand hours.