Capitol Hill is a neighborhood constantly in change. For decades, long-term residents have complained about gentrification, small businesses have come and gone, and generations of twentysomething Queer people have grown up, rented their first crappy apartments, and discovered themselves as young adults in the district. Throughout, one place has withstood the test of time: Broadway Veterinary Hospital.
“We are the clinic people know — whether through word of mouth, by driving down 12th and spotting our iconic round street sign rising above the cars, or because generations of families have trusted us with their pets,” said Practice Manager Ashley Maurer. “We are proud of the vibrant, diverse neighborhood we call home and the unique businesses and people who have supported one another for generations.”
The hospital is a clinic like no other, something licensed veterinary technician Jenna Harken learned as soon as she started working there. “When I was 23 years old and new to Broadway and veterinary medicine, I was greeting a man with his two Labrador retrievers who were there for a wellness appointment,” Harken recalled. “I grew up in North Seattle in a more rural area, so I (naively) asked him if he used the dogs for hunting. He laughed loudly and exclaimed, ‘Hunting! Honey, hunting for men!”
Background
Forty years ago, Dr. Mike Desrosier saw the need for a community-based animal hospital in Seattle’s Queer neighborhood. Back in 1986, most Americans treated their pets very differently from the way they do today. While it’s pretty common today for dog and cat owners to spend up over $2,000 a year on their pet, that’s not how it was in the ’80s. Then, it was typical to see dogs tied up to a tree or left outside in a backyard all day and night. Cats were usually let loose to wander around neighborhoods, and often disappeared, never to be seen again.
As a Queer person, Dr. Desrosier understood that for many members of the LGBTQIA+ community, our pets are more than just dogs and cats; they’re our babies, our closest friends, and sometimes our only family. So he decided to open the doors of Broadway Veterinary Hospital to give Queer pet owners a place where their pets would be treated with the same care they received at home. At first, the clinic was operated from Dr. Desrosier’s home. Clients would have their pets treated in his living room!
Dr. Desrosier was a champion of Queer rights. Having opened the clinic at the height of the AIDS epidemic, he recognized that people with HIV/AIDS often struggled to care for their beloved pets while balancing their own care. Often, as their health declined, people living with AIDS would be forced to give away their precious animals. Aiming to lower some of the hurdles they faced, Dr. Desrosier founded the Pet Support Network, a program that provided people with AIDS free vet care. The program was incredibly successful and helped those in the last stages of disease find comfort in their animal companions.
Dr. Desrosier knew the struggle his sick patients faced all too well. In 1993, he lost his own battle with the disease. The hospital was devastated by the loss but kept its doors open to continue Dr. Desrosier’s legacy of providing excellent care for the pets of Seattle’s LGBTQIA+ community.
According to Harken, roughly 60% of the hospital’s clientele identify as Queer. “I have always said that people who identify as LGBTQ+ are very dedicated pet parents,” she said. “Some people within this community may never have human children, and their pets truly are their ‘fur babies,’ which is why they are so deeply committed to them. Others move to Capitol Hill to live as their true, authentic selves for the first time in their lives, and the only connection they have is their pet.”
Care and compassion
Over the last four decades, the facility has pioneered progressive veterinary care. “Broadway Veterinary Hospital is set apart from other hospitals, as we have a very holistic approach to medicine in that we focus on the big picture of wellness and the balance of quantity and quality of life,” Harken said. The vets there work collaboratively with clients to help educate them on the best ways to care for their pets.
“I want all our clients to leave their appointments feeling more empowered as a pet parent to take care of their pet’s physical and psychological well-being,” Harken said. “There are no such things as ‘stupid questions’ for our pet parents to ask us!”
“We focus on a team-based approach to pet care,” Dr. Angela Rawlings added. “Clients partner with our medical staff, and our doctors and support team collaborate closely to provide thoughtful, accessible care — something that is especially important in modern times.”
Broadway Veterinary Hospital is more than just a clinic; it’s a part of the Capitol Hill community. During the 2020 Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP), the hospital once again saw an unmet need for pets in the neighborhood. “We navigated the respiratory symptoms neighboring pets experienced when tear gas was used during CHOP protests, while also ensuring our staff could leave safely before curfew,” Dr. Rawlings recalled.
The clinic has always understood the deep bond people have with their pets. “During COVID, we didn’t have the blueprint to go ‘curbside’ the way many veterinary hospitals did to limit exposure,” Dr. Rawlings said. “At the same time, we were committed to making sure our patients continued to receive care.”
During the pandemic, one family had to make the most difficult decision about their elderly dog. “I couldn’t bring myself to prevent a family from being with their aging dog during euthanasia,” Dr. Rawlings admitted. “I donned a mask, face shield, and gloves, and placed an extension line on the IV catheter, so I could stand two feet away while the family held and comforted their beloved companion. Moments like that reaffirm why we do this work.”
Anniversary
Now, Broadway Veterinary Hospital is celebrating its milestone 40th anniversary with an extravaganza. On Saturday, March 7, members of the community are invited to stop by — preferably with their pets — for food, refreshments, giveaway prizes, and pet health–themed raffles. “[The celebration] is about honoring the oldest veterinary clinic on Capitol Hill — but it is equally about celebrating the vibrant people of our community and the incredible local businesses that make this neighborhood what it is today,” Maurer said. “We want our clients to walk through our doors and truly feel how special this milestone is — because it is thanks to them and our dedicated team that we have reached 40 years.”
The hospital has provided Capitol Hill’s residents with thoughtful care and empathy longer than any other clinic in the neighborhood. It is a space where people have found hope and relief, learned to be better pet parents, and spent their hardest days surrounded by compassion.
“Broadway Veterinary Hospital is not just a clinic; it is a home for pets and for the people who love them,” Maurer said. “We are incredibly grateful for 40 years of trust, connection, and community — and we look forward to many more.”
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