Viking Veterinary Hospital Brings 24-Hour Emergency Animal Care to Idaho Falls and East Idaho
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — When corporate ownership came calling for the third time at the emergency veterinary clinic where she worked, Dr. Natasha Laughter was done. She had her real estate license ready and was prepared to walk away from the career she had dreamed of since childhood. What kept her in veterinary medicine was the chance to build something of her own — and the result is now East Idaho’s only 24-hour animal hospital within a three-hour radius.
Viking Veterinary Hospital, founded by Laughter, Dr. Dan Lewer, and Dr. Dan Richardson, has grown into a three-location operation across Idaho since its founding in late 2022. Their Idaho Falls location at 3151 McNeill Drive serves as the anchor of that network, providing around-the-clock emergency veterinary care to pet owners across Bonneville County and the broader East Idaho region.
From Corporate Frustration to Independent Ownership
Laughter’s path to ownership began at the Idaho Falls emergency clinic where she was working when a national company specializing in emergency veterinary operations purchased the facility. “That was the third corporate takeover I had been part of, and I just wasn’t having it,” Laughter said in remarks reported by local media. That was in 2022. Shortly after, Dr. Lewer contacted her with a proposal to open a location near Boise.
“That was the only thing that was going to keep me in veterinary medicine — to have my own clinic,” Laughter said.
The trio opened their first Viking Veterinary Hospital location in Nampa in December 2022, followed by a Moscow, Idaho location in December 2023. Then, in August 2024, they acquired the Idaho Falls emergency clinic — the very same one where Laughter had nearly ended her veterinary career — making it their third location. The facility had originally opened in 2011 as a nights-and-weekends emergency clinic before transitioning to full 24-hour operations in 2020.
Under Viking’s ownership, Laughter said adjustments were made quickly. “We adjusted some of the prices; they were pricing people out,” she said. The team also worked to rebuild relationships with existing staff and veterinarians at the location, retaining many employees while adding new doctors to the roster.
Advanced Capabilities and a Unique Blood Bank
Because Viking’s Idaho Falls location operates around the clock, it maintains capabilities well beyond what most standard veterinary offices provide. The hospital features advanced in-house laboratory testing, allowing staff to receive results immediately rather than sending samples to outside labs — a critical advantage in emergency situations.
The facility also keeps specialized equipment on hand, including oxygen cages for animals experiencing breathing difficulties and endoscopy equipment for non-surgical interventions. “If a dog swallows a sock, we can go in and get it rather than having to do surgery,” Laughter said.
One of Viking’s most distinctive offerings is its own in-house blood bank, built from a donor list comprised of employee pets and community animals. The blood bank not only serves the Idaho Falls hospital but also supplies other emergency veterinary facilities across the region. “That is something that we worked really hard to put together,” Laughter said.
Dogs interested in participating as donors must weigh at least 65 pounds and pass health screening. In exchange, donor animals receive complimentary preventative care, flea, tick and heartworm medications, and vaccines. Owners can contact the blood bank directly at the Idaho Falls location for more information.
What Comes Next
Viking Veterinary Hospital’s Idaho Falls location is poised for significant growth. Currently operating out of approximately 2,800 square feet with just three exam rooms inside a strip mall, the hospital has already purchased neighboring ground for a new stand-alone facility. The planned building will span 6,000 square feet and include six to eight exam rooms.
Laughter said the team hopes to break ground this fall, pending city permitting approval. With an estimated eight to ten months of construction time, the new facility could be open by summer 2027. The expanded space is also expected to allow Viking to bring in veterinary specialists — professionals who complete an additional four years of training beyond veterinary school — focusing on disciplines such as surgery, ophthalmology, dentistry, and neurology.
For East Idaho pet owners, the continued growth of an independently owned, locally operated emergency hospital represents a meaningful alternative to the corporate consolidation that has reshaped veterinary medicine in recent years. More information on Viking Veterinary Hospital’s Idaho Falls location and services is available directly through the hospital.
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