Lounging in a crate, the small mostly white dog was a bit woozy from surgery but became the center of attention as the 100,000th spay-neuter patient of Dr. Don Popa, the veterinarian for Ramona Humane Society’s low-cost clinic in San Jacinto.The 1½-year-old pup came to the shelter as a stray picked up in Hemet on Nov. 7. But after a party Tuesday for Popa, humane society supporters and staff, dog No. R133640 was headed to a new adoptive home in Riverside, according to society Executive Director Jeff Sheppard.
Popa, 53, keeps a record of surgeries he has performed in his career. He said he might perform 40 to 50 surgeries in a day, operating on both dogs and cats.
There continues to be a need to educate people about pet overpopulation. But in recent years, Popa said, „People are more willing to come in” to get their pets altered, with increased regulations and the incentive of price breaks on licenses for altered dogs and cats.
Sheppard said it has been an honor to work with Popa, whose care and dedication extends to teaching the shelter staff how to administer medications and address the needs of the animals.
Popa was born in Romania and studied at a university in Cluj. After coming to the United States in 1985, he took exams to qualify for a state veterinary license. He worked at a number of clinics in Riverside County and became a relief veterinarian at the Ramona shelter clinic about six years ago, where he now works full-time. He has specialized in spay-neuter surgery for 12 years.
