The Waukee Brief
New to town with a dog in the back seat, or just need a vet who can see you this week? Waukee is a good place to have a pet, and being on the west edge of the metro puts a lot of options a short drive away. Here is the rundown: the clinic in town and the nearby ones, where to go in an emergency, grooming and boarding, the dog park, and the rescues worth knowing.
Waukee's in-town, full-service vet is Broderick Animal Clinic, with more options just west in Clive. Save the nearest emergency animal hospital in your phone now (VEG in West Des Moines) before you need it. There's an official off-leash Trailside Dog Park, and good rescues in Dallas County and the west metro. Details below.
The full-service vet clinic in Waukee itself is Broderick Animal Clinic, which has served the area for more than 25 years and also grooms and boards. A few more clinics just west in Clive and the surrounding metro also serve Waukee families. Call ahead for new-patient openings, and confirm current hours before you go.
The worst time to look this up is at 11pm on a Sunday, so do it now. Most Waukee-area clinics keep daytime hours, so for a nighttime or weekend emergency you'll head to an emergency animal hospital elsewhere in the metro. The closest is VEG (Veterinary Emergency Group) in West Des Moines, at 6840 EP True Parkway, a short drive southeast of Waukee. UrgentVet in West Des Moines is an option for after-hours, non-life-threatening urgent care, and Iowa Veterinary Specialties in Des Moines is a 24-hour hospital. 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 and boarding, Broderick Animal Clinic in Waukee offers both alongside its vet services, and there are standalone groomers, self-wash spots and boarding and daycare facilities around Waukee and the west metro. Book boarding 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.
Waukee has its own official off-leash Trailside Dog Park at 590 SE Brick Drive - about four fenced acres with separate large- and small-dog areas, and a pass you buy at BarkPass.com. For hours, pass prices and rules, see our Waukee dog park guide. Beyond the dog park, leashed dogs are welcome on the Heart of the Warrior and Raccoon River Valley trails, and much of the outdoors around Waukee is dog-friendly.
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AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport in De Soto is a no-kill rescue right in Dallas County that explicitly serves Waukee, adopting out dogs and cats (4002 Ash St, De Soto). Furry Friends Refuge in West Des Moines is a no-kill shelter serving the west metro (3505 Mills Civic Pkwy). And the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) in Des Moines is the metro's largest shelter, adopting out dogs, cats and more. Meet your future couch-hog in person; it is the best way to find the right fit.
The full-service vet clinic in Waukee itself is Broderick Animal Clinic at 10 NW 4th Street, which has served the area for more than 25 years and also offers grooming and boarding. Just west in Clive, the Waukee-Clive Veterinary Clinic and University West Pet Clinic both serve Waukee families as well. Call ahead for new-patient openings and confirm current hours.
The closest emergency animal hospital is VEG (Veterinary Emergency Group) in West Des Moines at 6840 EP True Parkway, a short drive southeast of Waukee. UrgentVet in West Des Moines handles after-hours, non-life-threatening urgent care, and Iowa Veterinary Specialties in Des Moines is a 24-hour hospital. Ask your regular vet which emergency hospital they refer to and save the number before you need it.
Broderick Animal Clinic in Waukee offers grooming and boarding alongside its vet services, and there are standalone groomers, self-wash spots and boarding and daycare facilities around Waukee and the west metro. Book boarding early around holidays and school breaks, when spots fill up fast, and read recent reviews since availability and quality vary.
Yes. Waukee's official off-leash dog park is Trailside Dog Park at 590 SE Brick Drive, about four fenced acres with separate large- and small-dog areas. Every dog needs a pass from BarkPass.com. See our Waukee dog park guide for hours, passes and rules.
AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport in De Soto, right in Dallas County, is a no-kill rescue that serves Waukee and adopts out dogs and cats. Furry Friends Refuge in West Des Moines is a no-kill shelter serving the west metro, and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa in Des Moines is the metro's largest shelter.