Sofia Spatola
Posted by Computer Solutions on January 26, 2026
While most of the region stayed home sipping cocoa during this week’s snowstorm, emergency veterinary clinics stayed open. For 24/7 hospitals and critical care teams, there’s no such thing as a snow day because, unfortunately, sick and injured animals don’t wait for the roads to clear.
But while the team shows up no matter the weather, the same can’t always be said for your clinic’s technology.
Power outages, internet failures, and inaccessible systems don’t just inconvenience veterinary teams during a winter storm, they can prevent you from accessing medical records, communicating with clients, or billing for services. That’s why clinics need a clear, tested plan for technology downtime.
Let’s talk about what the recent storm should remind us about veterinary disaster recovery, and what steps clinics can take to stay resilient through snow, wind, and anything else the season brings.
When the Weather Shuts Down the World, Your Systems Still Need to Work
During extreme weather, your clinic faces more than just late staff and icy parking lots. You’re also up against:
- Internet outages from downed lines or overloaded providers
- Power loss that takes out servers, routers, and VoIP phone systems
- Cloud software you can’t reach without connectivity
- Critical files stored on local machines you can’t physically access
When your systems go dark, even for an hour, patient care and business operations take a hit.
This is why veterinary disaster recovery planning matters. It’s not just about backing up data. It’s about ensuring your clinic can continue running in a meaningful way even if your main systems are offline.
What a Good Veterinary Disaster Recovery Plan Looks Like
Disaster recovery planning doesn’t have to be complicated but it must be specific.
Here are five key things every veterinary clinic’s plan should include:
1. Offsite, Automated Backups
Backups should run automatically, store offsite, and update frequently. If your server floods or a workstation crashes, your data stays safe.
2. Power Contingencies
Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) help you shut down devices safely or keep your router running long enough to maintain service. Backup generators protect high-priority systems during extended outages.
3. Internet Failover
Secondary internet connections (like LTE backups or a second provider) keep phones and cloud software online if your main connection goes down.
4. Emergency Access to Records
Whether you use Cornerstone, ezyVet, or another PIMS, make sure you can access critical data if systems fail. A trusted IT partner can help you plan secure offline access or fast recovery from backups.
5. Communication Workarounds
If your VoIP phones fail, how do clients reach you? A secondary phone number, texting system, or social media update plan keeps communication flowing.
Why Emergency Clinics Need Extra Resilience
Clinics that operate 24/7 can’t delay appointments or reschedule patients. Your team must deliver care even when the systems don’t cooperate.
We recommend emergency clinics test their veterinary disaster recovery plans quarterly, run critical hardware on backup power, and ensure IT support is available during nights, weekends, and holidays, not just business hours.
If your systems struggled during this storm, let that be your sign to take recovery seriously. Fix the gaps now before the next disruption hits.
How We Help Clinics Weather the Storm
At Computer Solutions, we help veterinary clinics across the United States build realistic, functional veterinary disaster recovery plans. That includes:
- Offsite, automated backups
- Network diagrams and system mapping
- Emergency internet failover setup
- Staff training for outages and response
- PIMS access planning for emergencies
We’ve helped practices stay online during snowstorms, floods, ransomware attacks, and even utility outages caused by nearby construction.
Winter Is Just One Risk
Storms are a visible reminder of how fragile tech systems can be, but they’re not the only threat. We’ve seen data lost to power surges, hard drive failures, and human error. A smart recovery plan doesn’t try to predict every possible issue, it makes sure your clinic can bounce back from any of them.
Your tech should be as reliable as your team. Because pets can’t wait for power to come back on.
Need to Build or Test Your Clinic’s Recovery Plan?
Let’s make sure your practice is ready for the next snowstorm or anything else that comes your way.
Call 609.514.0100 or visit welinku.com to schedule a no-pressure consultation.
Because when the snow falls, your systems shouldn’t.
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