Dr. Jack Hardy is a board-certified Criticalist with a deep passion for emergency and intensive care. Inspired by summers spent working for his uncle, a mixed animal veterinarian in rural Iowa—Dr. Hardy always knew he wanted to pursue medicine. His love for animals and fascination with critical care made veterinary medicine the perfect path.

He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010 and went on to complete a rigorous Emergency & Critical Care residency at Eastern Iowa Veterinary Specialty Center from 2013 to 2016.

Dr. Hardy’s clinical interests include sepsis, shock, polytrauma, and transfusion therapy. As a criticalist, he finds immense reward in helping stabilize critically ill patients and seeing them return home to their families. He’s known for his calm, compassionate bedside manner—especially when working with anxious pets, often sitting with them at their level and patiently building trust before beginning care.

At Port City, Dr. Hardy is excited about the hospital’s continued growth and advanced offerings, including the upcoming addition of a linear accelerator. He’s proud to be part of a team that prioritizes both the highest level of medicine and exceptional patient care.

Outside the hospital, Dr. Hardy enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, hiking, camping, reading, playing guitar and computer games, weightlifting, and catching up on sleep whenever possible. He shares his home with a full house of rescues: three dogs (Linus, Otto, and Bert), two cats (Jellybean and Lollipop), two guinea pigs (Sprinkles and Jingles), and three egg-laying hens (Bumblebee, Cricket, and Dung Beetle).

His advice to pet owners? Stay up to date on vaccinations, use year-round parasite prevention, and schedule regular visits with your primary care veterinarian. Preventive care, he believes, is key to long-term pet health.