Practice
Expertise
Decades of hands-on leadership across veterinary medicine, animal control, sheltering, and public health — the foundation of every case evaluation.
Veterinary Medicine
- Chief Veterinarian, LA Animal Services (City of Los Angeles, Department of Animal Control)
- American Humane Association Shelter Veterinarian of the Year
- Preventive Medicine Resident, CA Department of Health Services, Veterinary Public Health Unit
Dog Bite / Mauling Cases and Animal Control
- Director of San Diego County Department of Animal Control
- Chief Veterinarian, LA Animal Services (City of Los Angeles, Department of Animal Control)
Prior Case Experience With
- Dangerous dog hearings and declarations
- Dog behavior evaluations
- Dog bite severity determination
- Bite wound analysis
- Genetic pre-disposition for aggression
- Forensic document review (animal shelter and veterinary clinic records)
- Necropsy reports
- Dog record traceback to identify prior bite history and/or ownership
- Dog bite investigation reports
- Public health rabies reports
- Dog bite quarantine procedures
- Adoption and rescue dog placement with prior bite history
- Shelter transfer of dogs with bite histories
- Injury to shelter staff, volunteers, fosters, and members of the public
- Animal control department compliance with public safety mandates
- State and local dog laws
Animal Sheltering
- Director of San Diego County Animal Control
- American Humane Association Shelter Veterinarian of the Year
- Management of the following animal shelter divisions: Animal Care, Veterinary Medicine, Field Services, Clerical Services (adoptions, relinquishments), Administration, Volunteers, and Rescue Groups.
- Writing and editing agency Manuals of Policy & Procedure, Chameleon electronic animal record-keeping systems, and kennel population management.
- Created and conducted national training programs in: Animal Care Staff Duties, Humane Handling and Restraint Techniques for Shelter Animals, Registered Veterinary Technician Duties, and Euthanasia Certification.
Animal Abuse / Cruelty
- Animal neglect cases
- Hoarding cases
- Animal cruelty cases (e.g., blunt force trauma, gun shot wounds, traumatic brain injuries)
- Laboratory animal facility inspections — USDA compliance
- Exotics — circus inspections
Dog / Cock Fighting
- Interagency cooperation with police and sheriff (serving search warrants, crime scene investigation)
- Catalog and identification of medical and drug paraphernalia
- Impound of fighting dogs — chain of evidence logs
- Behavioral assessment of dogs
- Veterinary care and euthanasia when indicated
- Submission of written reports
- Testifying in court
Public Health
- Zoonotic disease surveillance programs
- Wildlife surveillance programs
- Food-borne outbreaks
- Diagnostic laboratory procedures and testing
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