Stewart never expected this to become his life’s calling. It goes back to the Great Recession, which began in December 2007, when he was working as a veterinarian at an “economically challenged” animal shelter in Modesto, California, and was overwhelmed by the sheer number of stray animals who needed help.
He wanted to show his young son the importance of giving back, so one day, he went to a soup kitchen with his son and girlfriend and started asking people with pets if he could examine their animals.
“I knew then and there I was going to keep doing it,” he said. “There’s so much need out there.”
There’s a homeless man whose patch includes a corner near my office who has a tiny kitten with him at all times. Little thing is well cared-for and in fact generally eats better than its human, as people toss cat food into his donation box as well as money. Shelters won’t allow animals, and this man will not be parted from his cat, so they’re out there, rain or shine. Good on this vet for doing the work in front of him.
A.