ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — On Tuesday, K9s For Warriors celebrated a significant achievement with the launch of its new on-site veterinary clinic. This development is expected to expedite medical services for service dogs, thereby enabling veterans to be paired with their canine companions more swiftly.

At the ribbon-cutting event, the staff emphasized the clinic’s potential benefits by discussing a service dog named Anchor. Anchor has been experiencing an elusive limp, necessitating numerous trips to various veterinary facilities. These trips not only increased stress for Anchor but also escalated costs for the organization, all while leaving his health issues unresolved.

Despite his limp, Anchor’s trainers are committed to keeping him in the program, aiming for him to become a full-fledged service dog. With the new clinic in place, Anchor can now receive regular medical attention at the same location where he resides and trains, minimizing transportation strain and allowing for better health monitoring.

“Now we can conduct tests and maintain his health right here on our premises,” explained Wyatt Haynes, the Chief K9 & Business Officer for K9s For Warriors. Haynes pointed out that transporting the dogs to appointments disrupts their routine, adding unnecessary stress, which the new facility will help alleviate.

Veterinary staff say the clinic also plays a critical role in evaluating whether dogs are physically prepared for the long-term demands of service work. Veterinary Medical Manager Aiden Mann says imaging exams are done on every dog in training to evaluate joint health.

“So when we give these dogs to the warriors we know they will have a long working life,” Mann said.

The 4,284-square-foot Duffield Veterinary Clinic was designed as a flexible, multi-use facility to support both current operations and future growth, including expanded kennel capacity and additional phases of campus development. The clinic features radiology services, intake areas, surgery and recovery suites, multiple exam rooms, a laboratory and an on-site pharmacy, along with dedicated laundry and biohazard rooms. 

By bringing diagnostic, surgical and preventative care directly on campus, K9s For Warriors expects to reduce wait times and improve efficiency. Faster medical clearance also allows dogs to move more quickly through procedures like spays, neuters and dental work, and potentially reduce the long wait times to get a service dog. According to the organization, the wait time can be up to two years. 

Leaders say the new clinic strengthens the organization’s mission by improving care for Service Dogs while ultimately serving more veterans who rely on them—saving lives on both ends of the leash, a motto K9s for Warriors likes to publicize.  K9s for Warriors says they’ve rescued more than 2,000 dogs and paired up more than 1200 veterans with service dogs to help them manage PTSD and suicidal thoughts.