JASPER – The Jasper Veterinary Clinic will continue to provide essential pet care in a temporary trailer after its building was destroyed in the 2024 wildfire.
Veterinarian Sara Regehr is taking over the clinic from long-time Jasper veterinarian Janet Jones, who recently retired, although Jones will still be locuming there.
“My mom actually started the vet clinic in the late 80s and built that,” Regehr said. “So, yeah, it’s kind of nice; it’s going full circle.”
The clinic, which is the first business to set up shop in the commercial pop-up village for the Stan Wright Industrial Park, is estimated to open May 26 once the final safety inspection is completed, all permits are finalized and all the equipment arrives. After-hours emergency service will likely be restored by June 9.
“Dr. Janet Jones did a really good job of making sure that all the essential services were provided right in town for the community, and my goal is to continue on with her legacy and make sure that we still are able to provide this helpful service,” Regehr said.
The Jasper clinic lost all its equipment in last summer’s wildfire as well as the filing cabinets with the paper records. At the time, Jones had a satellite clinic in Valemount where she continued providing care, and Jasper pet owners could drive there in the months following the fire.
“Dr. Jones did a really good job of making sure that there was as minimal a gap in veterinary services as possible,” Regehr said.
The Edmonton Humane Society later provided a mobile unit capable of accommodating surgery and routine appointments. Jones used this location from October until April to provide basic veterinary services.
The Valemount clinic has since closed, with much of the equipment there going to Jasper to furnish the new clinic. Regehr noted they have also purchased a new X-ray machine and can now offer ultrasound.
“It’s a very expensive endeavour, but this is a long-term investment,” she said. “It’s not just meant to be here for a year and then go away. It’s, of course, meant to be used for hopefully decades, and it’s just a long-term investment in Jasper’s future in vet care.”
This high-quality equipment will be moved into the new building once it's reconstructed.
Jasper currently has no veterinary service while the new trailer is set up. In the interim, pet owners can go to visit Parks Gate Animal Clinic in Hinton or the Edson Veterinary Clinic.
Clients are encouraged to check out the Jasper clinic’s website and social media for updates and more information.
