For military families stationed at Minot Air Force Base, the base veterinary clinic has long been an essential resource for their pets’ health care needs. As military families transition from base to base, many bring their pets along for the ride, making veterinary care a necessity that needs to be reestablished at each new base. For those on Minot AFB, there is a Veterinary Treatment Facility (VTF) on the installation, operated by the United States Army and overseen by the 5th Medical Group but establishing care might look little different as Veterinary services are limited on and off the installation.
Even though the Veterinary clinic is right on base, their main mission is for the Military Working Dogs (MWDs) who are part of the Security Forces mission on Minot AFB and Grand Forks AFB. According to 5th Security Forces Squadron Operation Superintendent, Senior Master Sergeant Shoemaker, the VTF provides treatment and care for eight MWDs assigned to the squadron. Additionally, the VTF provides care to MWDs from the 319th Security Forces Squadron at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, caring for a total of 14 MWDs. Military working dogs (MWDs) play a critical role in supporting military operations, assisting in tasks such as detecting explosives, drugs, and even locating missing persons. These highly trained dogs are vital to the safety and effectiveness of military missions, which is why the clinic prioritizes their health and well-being.
However, that doesn’t mean that they can’t help out your little kitty or adorable puppy some of the time. While their focus is on military working dogs and ensuring that they are in top health for their duties, the clinic will still provide limited services for personal pets when resources allow. It’s always best to check with them first to see if they can accommodate your pet’s needs, but they do their best to balance their responsibilities with helping out the community’s furry friends when possible.
The Minot AFB VTF provides preventative and routine care but does not handle sick calls or offer same-day appointments. Any available time slots after MWD care at the VTF are open to military families with pets, but delays may occur due to staffing limitations. Currently, the VTF only has one veterinarian, which limits the number of pets that can be seen. Recently, a new family arrived at Minot AFB and was informed that the VTF is taking new clients for preventive and routine care, but appointments were booked out for a few weeks. While this is a common occurrence at the VTF pets are still being seen sooner on base than they would off the installation.
Due to the limited availability of appointments, the VTF recommends that families establish care with an off-base veterinarian in case their pets need same-day or emergency care. Most off-base providers require pets to be established in their clinic to receive immediate attention. Stephanie Schultz, a recent visitor to Minot AFB VTF, shared that she found the staff “extremely helpful” during her visit.
Military families living on base are still encouraged to register their pets with the Minot AFB VTF, even if they haven’t established care. This ensures that pets are properly registered within the installation’s system. The VTF encourages pet owners to call ahead for registration, although walk-ins are welcome. Mrs. Kaitlin Reyna, who updated her pet’s records with the VTF, emphasized the importance of keeping the records updated, noting that the VTF’s database shares information with other installation VTFs. Mrs. Reyna added, “The person on the phone was very transparent and helpful.”
The Minot AFB Veterinary Treatment Facility, located at 300 Missile Avenue, Minot AFB, ND 58704, is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The clinic is closed on Thursdays, weekends, and all federal holidays and installation family days. For more information or to make an appointment, pet owners can call the VTF at 701-723-6449.
While the VTF provides valuable care for military families’ pets, its limited schedule and staffing constraints often leave pet owners in need of urgent care to seek alternatives off-base, such as Pinkerton Animal Hospital or Rugby Veterinary Services.
The Minot AFB VTF continues to serve the needs of military families and their pets, but with a limited scope of services, pet owners should plan ahead and ensure they have backup veterinary care options available off the installation.
Minot AFB Veterinary Treatment Facility providing care for military member’s loving pets.
