After Nearly 40 Years, Green Hills Animal Hospital to Close as Dr. Wesley Darnell Retires
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
After nearly four decades of caring for pets in St. Joseph, Green Hills Animal Hospital will close its doors at the end of August as longtime veterinarian Dr. Wesley Darnell prepares to retire.
The animal hospital, located at 3111 N. Belt Highway, announced the upcoming closure in a Facebook post Wednesday. Darnell thanked the St. Joseph community for the support and loyalty shown to the practice over the years.
Public business records list Green Hills Animal Hospital as having been in business for approximately 36 years, putting its beginnings around 1990. Dr. Darnell has been the veterinarian closely associated with the practice and is still listed as its veterinarian today.
Over the years, Green Hills became a familiar name for generations of St. Joseph pet owners. The hospital provided general veterinary care while also offering services such as boarding and grooming, and many customers stayed with the practice for decades. Online reviews include clients who say they had trusted Darnell and his staff with their animals for more than 20 years.
The hospital also had ties to the broader St. Joseph pet community. In 2015, the City of St. Joseph listed Green Hills Animal Hospital as one of the local veterinary offices where residents could obtain memberships for Corby Dog Park, alongside several other longtime area clinics.
That longevity makes the closure more than simply another local business shutting its doors. For many families, Darnell has been the veterinarian who cared for several generations of their pets, from routine vaccinations and checkups to illnesses, injuries and some of the most difficult moments that come with owning an animal.
With the hospital preparing to close, staff is encouraging current clients to make sure the clinic has an up-to-date email address on file. Doing so should make it easier for patients' records to be transferred as families begin transitioning their pets to another veterinarian.
Green Hills Animal Hospital is expected to close at the end of August, bringing to an end nearly 40 years of veterinary service in St. Joseph and marking the retirement of a veterinarian who became a familiar face to thousands of local pet owners.
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