The Johnston Brief
New to town with a dog in the back seat, or just need a vet who can see you this week? Johnston is a good place to have a pet. Here is the rundown: the clinics in town, where to go in an emergency, where to groom and board, and the parks and rescues worth knowing.
Johnston has several full-service vet clinics right in town. Save a 24-hour emergency hospital in your phone now, before you need it. And while Johnston leans on the metro's dog parks, its own parks and trails are excellent for a leashed walk. Details below.
Johnston has several full-service vet clinics in town, a mix of independent practices. Call ahead for new-patient openings, and confirm current hours before you go.
Johnston sits shoulder-to-shoulder with Urbandale, Grimes, and northwest Des Moines, so plenty of well-regarded metro clinics are only a few minutes away if your Johnston favorite is booked. Mobile vets also serve the area for at-home visits. Search for a clinic near your neighborhood and read recent reviews, since availability varies.
The worst time to look this up is at 11pm on a Sunday, so do it now. Most Johnston clinics keep daytime hours, so for a nighttime or weekend emergency you will head to a 24-hour emergency animal hospital in the Des Moines metro, a short drive away. BluePearl Pet Hospital on Merle Hay Road in Des Moines (formerly the Iowa Veterinary Referral Center) and Iowa Veterinary Specialties on Creston Avenue both run 24/7 emergency and critical care. Ask your regular vet which emergency hospital they refer patients to, save the number in your phone, and keep it on the fridge.
For grooming, some Johnston-area vet clinics groom in-house, and there are standalone groomers and self-wash spots around town and across the north metro. For boarding and doggy daycare, Johnston and the surrounding suburbs have several kennels and daycare facilities; book early around holidays and school breaks, when they fill up fast. Search for a groomer or boarder near your neighborhood and read recent reviews, since availability and quality vary.
There are off-leash dog parks around the metro within a short drive of Johnston, including the Animal Rescue League's off-leash park and Raccoon River Dog Park in West Des Moines. Closer to home, Johnston's own parks and its 45-plus miles of trails, like the paved Beaver Creek Greenbelt Trail, are great for a leashed walk. The nearby Neal Smith and High Trestle trails are dog-friendly too, and much of Johnston's park system is easy walking with a leash.
The Johnston Brief is a free weekly email: what's new in town, things to do, deals, and the practical stuff, from vets to trash day. Made for people who actually live here.
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) in Des Moines is the metro's largest shelter and adopts out dogs, cats, and more. Rescues like AHeinz57 run frequent adoption events around the area, and many local pet stores host weekend adoption days with rescue partners. Meet your future couch-hog in person; it is the best way to find the right fit.
Johnston has several full-service veterinary clinics, including Village Veterinary Hospital on Merle Hay Road, Westfield Veterinary Hospital on NW 54th Avenue, Sullivan Family Pet Hospital on NW 62nd Avenue, and Rush Animal Care on NW Beaver Drive. Hours, services, and new-patient openings vary, so call ahead and confirm before you go.
For an after-hours or weekend emergency, the Des Moines metro has 24-hour emergency animal hospitals a short drive from Johnston. BluePearl Pet Hospital on Merle Hay Road in Des Moines and Iowa Veterinary Specialties on Creston Avenue both run 24/7 emergency and critical care. Ask your regular clinic which one they refer to, and save the number before you need it.
There are off-leash dog parks around the Des Moines metro within a short drive of Johnston, including the Animal Rescue League's off-leash park and Raccoon River Dog Park in West Des Moines. In town, Johnston's parks and its 45-plus miles of trails, like the Beaver Creek Greenbelt Trail, are great for a leashed walk.
Some Johnston-area vet clinics offer grooming in-house, and there are standalone groomers, self-wash spots, and boarding and doggy-daycare facilities around Johnston and the north metro. Book boarding early around holidays and school breaks, and read recent reviews, since availability and quality vary.
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) in Des Moines is the metro's largest shelter, and rescues like AHeinz57 run frequent adoption events around the area. Many local pet stores also host weekend adoption events with rescue partners.