In this post we are going to break down everything we know about pets in Des Moines. Some reading this might be current owners, others might be thinking about it, but either way there should be plenty of info here to help you plan your next move.
We will get this going with the best Des Moines pet stores. You can buy puppies, kittens, toys, food, and supplies and more there so they will probably help the most readers out.
Contents
Local animal shelters for dog or cat adoption will get the next section. Dog parks, puppy trainers near you, and dog bakeries will keep us going.
After that it will be grooming and dog or cat cafes around the area. There could be some out of towners reading so we will mention some good hotels that allow pets near you.
The best places for pet boarding in town will be discussed, and then we will finish it all off with unfortunate topics like veterinarians and dog or cat cremation services. Towards the end we will include a local map to help you figure out which places are closest to your current area.
Anyone that is interested can check out more of our Midwest pet guides at that link.
Best Pet Stores In Des Moines
When you want to buy a new puppy or kitten or just get some new toys, food, or supplies these best pet stores in Des Moines are good places to go:
- Petsakes Pet Supplies at 1575 E Euclid Ave
- Bone-A-Patreat at 4110 University Ave
- Jett and Monkey’s Dog Shoppe at 219 E Grand Ave #109
At Petsakes Pet Supplies you will find all of the standard supplies you would expect to get at your local pet store. However they also have on-site pet grooming available plus they even sell hand-sewn pets beds.
There are a variety of healthy pet foods, treats, and supplements available at Bone-A-Patreat. Not only do they have food and supplies for dogs and cats but also for rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, gerbils, hamsters, pet birds and wild birds.
Another great place to find healthy food for dogs and cats is Jett and Monkey’s Dog Shoppe. They also have a wide variety of eco-friendly toys, leashes, collars, beds, grooming supplies and more.
If you want to buy reptiles, tropical fish, and birds then Aqualand Pets Plus is probably your go to spot. Of course there are a few PetSmart’s and Petco’s near you as well.
Animal Shelters & Adoption
If you would rather adopt a pet then buy a new one head to one of these local animal shelters:
- Animal Lifeline of Iowa at 4521 SE 14th St
- Furry Friends Refuge at 3505 Mills Civic Pkwy
Animal Lifeline is a no-kill animal shelter whose main goal is to limit the number of stray dogs and cats that get euthanized. All of the adoptable dogs and cats they have go through a complete veterinary check up at the Avondale Veterinary Healthcare Complex.
That means they will get all the proper vaccinations including for rabies, will have flea and tick prevention already done, a microchip will be implanted, they will be spayed and neutered, plus they will go through more health checks.
Another no-kill animal shelter doing great work is Furry Friends Refuge whose adoption center is located at 1723 Grand Avenue. They are partnered with WestPet Animal Control and directly take in stray cats and dogs from West Des Moines, Urbandale, and Clive.
They even provide low-cost spay and neuter services to local pet owners who need assistance. Both of these animal shelters do great things for the community and if you are ever in a situation involving a lost or found pet in the area they are two contacts you definitely need to know about.
Dog Parks
You know your furry friend would love nothing more than to run around one of these dog parks:
- Riverwalk Dog Park
- Ewing Dog Park
- Reno Memorial Dog Park
- Raccoon River Park Dog Park
- Windsor Heights Dog Park
- Ankeny Dog Park
- 17th Avenue Dog Park
- Trailside Dog Park
Puppy Training
These puppy training services should speed up their learning curve:
- Knox Canine Training at 1631 NE 58th Ave
- Des Moines Obedience Training Club at 1423 Army Post Rd
- Pupstart Family Dog Training & Behavior Consulting
Knox Canine Training focuses on the latest science based training techniques for dogs of all ages and sizes. They can do group puppy training classes or private and in-home lessons.
Des Moines Obedience Training Club also has group puppy training classes and more intermediate and advanced obedience classes. Pupstart Family Dog Training & Behavior Consulting does in person dog training classes or you can take them remotely via Zoom.
4 Paws Unleashed and Canine Country Club also provide dog training classes.
Dog Bakeries
A tasty treat from one of these dog bakeries will really show your appreciation:
- Just Paws! Gourmet & Gifts at 3800 Merle Hay Rd #906
- Brown Dog Bakery at 2310 SE Delaware Ave
Not only can you get gourmet treats for dogs and cats at Just Paws! Gourmet & Gifts but they also have toys, pet clothes, and other cool stuff. Brown Dog Bakery specializes in making healthy and natural food and treats for dogs or cats.
They also have jumped into the grooming game and serve the areas of Norwoodville, Swanwood, Marquisville, Berwick, Saylor, White Oak, Saylorville, Saylor Station, Carney, Oralabor, and Enterprise. Bone-A-Patreat who we mentioned earlier also has a pet bakery in their store.
Pet Grooming
Your dog or cat will look cuter than ever after a visit to these local pet groomers:
- Smitten Kitten at 549 28th St
- Grooming By Brenda at 1339 Army Post Rd
The only cat-only grooming salon, boarding house, and supply store near you that we know of is Smitten Kitten. On the other end of the spectrum you have Stylin Paws Salon & Boutique which is a dog grooming spa and salon that is loaded with everything dog lovers may need.
They have an indoor dog park, an event center, self-services dog wash stations, plus they sell supplies and provide boarding services. We are saving them for the boarding section but you can get specialty dog grooming services at Canine Country Club which include de-shedding treatments, baths, nail trims and more.
Other places we have listed throughout the post that also do pet grooming would be Petsakes Pet Supplies, Petco, PetSmart, Starch Pet Hospital, Brown Dog Bakery, 4 Paws Unleashed, and Bark Avenue West.
Pet Cafes In Des Moines
The first of its kind in Iowa, Coffee Cats at 312 5th Street in West Des Moines is a great place to relax and sip a cup of joe. If the name doesn’t give it away this is a cat café and not an all pet café, so it probably wouldn’t be wise to show up with a dog.
To make things better all of the cats in the cat lounge are adoptable from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
Hotels That Allow Pets
Anyone that is traveling and who needs a hotel that allows pets can try:
- Hyatt Place at 418 6th Ave
- Red Roof Inn at 5020 NE 14th St
Pet Boarding In Des Moines
These Des Moines pet boarding services should give them a good nights sleep:
- 4 Paws Unleashed at 5278 NE 14th St
- Bark Avenue West at 2700 University Ave #302
- Canine Country Club at 2150 Delavan Dr
There are a couple locations of Paws Unleashed one in North Des Moines and the other is in Clive. They are a full service pet facility that offers boarding for all, including exotic animals.
Other services they provide include grooming and training. Bark Avenue West has a dog daycare, overnight boarding, does grooming as well as other walk-in services.
We told you about Canine Country Club a bit earlier and their great grooming services. Well they are also a great place for dog boarding or daycare.
Additional options for pet boarding can be found at Smitten Kitten, Stylin Paws Salon & Boutique, Ingersoll Animal Hospital, and All-Pets Hospital.
Best Veterinarians Near You
You can give them the best animal medical care possible by going to one of the best veterinarians in your area:
- Starch Pet Hospital at 2222 University Ave
- Ingersoll Animal Hospital at 3009 Ingersoll Ave
- Afford-A-Care Pet Hospital at 3003 SE 14th St
You can get everything from microchipping, parasites control, spay and neuter, grooming, cremation, euthanasia, telemedicine and more at Starch Pet Hospital. Ingersoll Animal Hospital helps with cat adoptions in the area, plus they do grooming, boarding, critical veterinary care and can help with end-of-life care.
Since 1996 Afford-A-Care Pet Hospital has been providing affordable veterinary care for animals in Central Iowa. They can help with spaying or neutering, preventative care, will do bloodwork on-site, do surgeries and more.
From surgery to boarding to parasite testing and reproduction services All-Pets Hospital is another good option.
Pet Cremation & Euthanization
You can get private or communal pet cremations at Lovingrest Pet Funeral Home at 9912 G24 Hwy plus they can handle burials. Mojo Vet Mobile provides in home pet euthanasia services in your area. Ingersoll Animal Hospital and Starch Pet Hospital also do pet euthanasia and end of life care.
If you are in a situation involving a lost or found pet that link or this one might be able to help you out. You can now register pets in Des Moines and pay the fees online.
Click the links to check out some of our other guides for these towns in the region:
Have Fun With Your Pets In Des Moines
Now that you have read about all of those local pet stores, animal shelters, adoptions, dog parks, puppy trainers, bakeries, groomers, cafes, hotels that allow pets, places to board your dogs or cats, and even veterinarian or cremation services you should have a much better understanding of what is to offer here.
We would really appreciate it if you could let us know if you noticed anything incorrect, or if you could share your own local pet tricks and tips. Hopefully you have a great time visiting any Des Moines pet stores, shelters, dog parks, or whatever places you learned about on this page.
