History

Janssen Veterinary Clinic opened its doors the first day of June in 1977.

Dr. Justin Janssen, with the help of his wife, Mary Janssen, started the practice working out of their home. The family room became the office, while the one car garage was converted into a small animal clinic, lab, kennel, and exam room. In the early years, a significant percentage of the large animal work was conducted at the owners’ residence or stables, but the small barn on the Janssen property served as the equine treatment facility.

In 1987 the Janssens added the large animal treatment clinic and provided some much needed growing room for the expanding practice. This gave owners the opportunity to haul their animals to the clinic for more sophisticated diagnostic procedures and allowed them to leave horses for close observation.

The first associate veterinarian was hired in 1991. After practicing solo for 14 years, Dr. Janssen welcomed another veterinarian to share emergency calls and hired additional staff to assist both doctors.

June 1st 1998, the office and small animal portion of the practice was relocated to the new small animal facility. A second story was designed with doctor offices, educational classroom/meeting room, and apartment to house students and externs. For the first time in 21 years, the Janssen family was able to have their home to themselves.

In 2000, Dr. Scott Thompson joined Janssen Veterinary Clinic as an associate veterinarian. He was no stranger to the clinic, however. Scott had been working with Dr. Janssen every summer and school break since he was in the 7th grade. Recognizing the strong commitment Dr. Thompson and his wife, Leslie Thompson, have toward veterinary medicine, the Janssens entered into a partnership with them as joint owners of Janssen Veterinary Clinic in January of 2005.

It has been Dr. Janssen’s long-held belief that veterinarians should work together, share expertise, facilities, equipment & instruments, staff and common overhead expenses. His dream of a group practice on the north side of Indianapolis has begun to come to reality. More veterinarians have been added to the staff as the practice has grown. 

2006 marked the advent of the internship program in conjunction with Purdue University. This program allows newly graduated veterinarians the opportunity to be exposed to both the medical and business aspect of an operating practice, while they, in turn, bring knowledge of current teachings and research from their recent education. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement which allows JVC to “give back ” to the veterinary profession as well as providing an opportunity to keep current with new insights into veterinary medicine.

In the spring of 2006, Janssen Veterinary Clinic once again was experiencing growing pains, this time back in the Equine Medicine Facility. Expanding out the back of the original building provided extra stall space for hospitalized patients, more exam room, and an indoor arena for lameness exams.

In December 2006, after calling Indiana home for 32 years, Dr. Justin & Mary Janssen made the bittersweet decision to return to their native state of Kansas in order to be closer to their family. Justin & Mary are missed by both the practice and the community, but we thank them for all they have given over the years, and wish them all the best that life has to offer. We strive to continue on the path they set us upon, and aspire to the dreams & goals they’ve shared with us.

2015 brought Dr. Jake Jensen to the practice. As an associate, he supplied his experience in both equine and small animal medicine, as well as a commitment to Equine Sports Medicine. Dr. Jensen became a partner in the practice in 2021.