Michele Smith holds her dog Bonnie in the reception area of her new modern design animal hospital on Montview Blvd. in Stapleton.

Exterior of Stapleton Veterinary Hospital

After operating the 29th Avenue Animal Hospital for almost 10 years, veterinarian Michele Smith, DVN, decided the time was right to move and expand. In December, after a year of planning and construction, she opened her new location on Montview (just east of DSST: Stapleton) with a new name—the Stapleton Veterinary Hospital. The practice has three veterinarians who care for dogs, cats and “pocket pets” such as guinea pigs, rabbits, mice and gerbils.

“There are separate dog and cat waiting areas and separate dog and cat rooms. We also have separate dog and cat hospitalization,” Smith said. “We have an enclosed exercise yard to walk pets and keep them safe while recovering from surgeries or procedures. We have an isolation ward where infectious patients can come in and not expose any of the other patients. We have a comfort room to use when we have to talk about quality of life and end-of-life situations.”

The new facility can accommodate full surgery and critical care for pets that have been hit by cars or suddenly become extremely ill, as well as wellness care. While the Stapleton Veterinary Hospital can provide urgent care, patients are not boarded there. If a pet’s condition requires overnight hospitalization, Smith gives a 24-hour facility referral. When well pets need to be boarded, Smith refers them to Digstown, the nearby doggie day care that she uses for her own pets.

“We do wellness treatment as primary care, take X-rays and take care of pets’ vaccines. We also take care of their surgeries when they’re sick,” Smith said. “It’s kind of like a town doctor. My days are different every day.”

Smith also is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. She is a Colorado State University graduate and did her veterinarian internship at the Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver.
Smith, her husband, Greg, and their daughter, Kamdyn, have lived in Stapleton since 2003. Kamdyn, 11, attends the Denver School of the Arts. Greg works at the United Training Center.

“I can’t go to the grocery store without running into someone I know. I never expected to be a small-town veterinarian here. But, if you think of rural communities, Stapleton really has that small-town feel.”

The Smith house also includes two dogs—a Jack Russell terrier named Bonnie and a Cavalier King Charles called Freddie—and a 13-year-old domestic shorthair rescue cat named Minnie. They also have three horses.

The Stapleton Veterinary Hospital, located at 8601 Montview Blvd., is open from 7am to 7pm Mon. through Sat., and is closed on Sundays. To make an appointment, call 303.394.3937 or visit www.stapletonvets.com.