About us
Our Mission
Our mission is simple: Provide exceptional specialty veterinary care where pet owners and primary veterinarians have ACCESS to cutting-edge medicine with the best doctors and support staff in a professional, friendly and supportive environment.
Our Principles
We try hard to be the cat’s meow! This is why we have four guiding principles to help keep us on track. We believe that quality is not just exceeding what you expect, but exceeding the standards we set for ourselves – and then finding ways to do better.
Next comes integrity. This means doing what is right, even when no one is looking. We commit ourselves to providing the best care possible and doing the right thing for you and your pet.
We endeavor to exert a level of compassion that is not driven by a directive or a marketing slogan. It’s the kind that comes naturally when people care for each other and take awesome pride in the role of helping animals heal.
Last, but not least, there’s our goal to provide great service. This is way more than a friendly greeting. It’s about accurate and timely reporting, clean mirrors in the bathrooms, spending time with you, rising before dawn to check on your pet, and offering you cool water on hot days. It’s a long list we take seriously.
Our History
In 2005, Dr. Rich Mills, a board-certified criticalist, recognized a need for specialty veterinary care and launched Advanced Critical Care and Internal Medicine of Los Angeles (ACCIM-LA).
The venture quickly expanded in response to overwhelming demand, leading to the introduction of additional medical departments. By 2012, a multi-specialty animal hospital in San Fernando Valley was acquired. With two locations and an increased number of services, the name was changed to Advanced Critical Care, Emergency and Specialty Services (ACCESS).
Then, in 2015, a third location, ACCESS – South Bay, was opened in Torrance, CA. In early 2021, ACCESS further expanded its reach by inaugurating its fourth hospital in Pasadena, CA. This addition brought much-needed advanced veterinary care to pet owners in the San Gabriel Valley.
While the first three ACCESS hospitals were acquired by Thrive Pet Healthcare in 2019, ACCESS Pasadena continues to operate as a privately owned hospital. Through our commitment to compassionate care and cutting-edge medicine, we lead the way in veterinary innovation, ensuring that pets receive the highest quality medical care.
Click below to find out more about our specialty departments.
