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Dr. Joel Pasco Dies at 62

Joel Pasco, DVM, founder of All Creatures Care Cottage and the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center died Oct. 24.

Dr. Pasco, also founder of the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach, Calif., was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2006. Last year he was told that he had about 12 months to live.

In a story published in July in Veterinary Practice News, Pasco said he decided to surround himself with family and friends upon hearing the news. He would continue to pursue hobbies that brought him joy, like painting, sculpting, fishing and bonsai gardening. And, as long as he could, he would continue to practice veterinary medicine, the profession he’d loved for more than 30 years.

“People ask me, ‘Why are you working? You should be retired,’ ” Pasco told Veterinary Practice News. “But my answer is, ‘I love what I do. I love my animal patients and I love my human clients, and my life would be very empty if I could not continue to do this.’ ”

A celebration of Pasco’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center, 21900 Pacific Coast Hwy., the Daily Pilot reported. Donations in Pasco's name can be made to the center. <HOME>

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Dr. Joel Pasco Dies at 62

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I am very sad to hear this news . I worked for a period of time with dr. Pasco . He truley loved animals and wildlife. I could not appreciate his dedication to animals and his kind heartedmess until I worked for other doctors in orange county that were only money motivated. Although dr. pasco was a nice kind hearted person, until I experienced other doctors practices could I truley appreciate what a fine doctor he really was. My condolences to his family. Jacinda, Orange, CA Posted: 12/18/2011 11:54:04 AM wow, am shocked and saddened to hear this. I worked at his Sunset Beach animal hospital one summer when I was 17. I will always remember when someone brought a cat in that had somehow fallen into an engine block and was soaked with oil. Dr. Pasco and his AHT's tried using regular soap to clean the cat but it wasn't working so he sent me to the local grocery store to pick up dishwashing liquid. It was Dawn liquid and it cleaned the cat right up with no ill effects to the cat. When the Exxon Valdez spilled oil in the gulf of Alaska I remember reading about Dr. Pasco and his team going there to clean up the wildlife using Dawn liquid dishwashing soap. Awesome, inspirational, and he was a very caring person Valerie, Irving, TX Posted: 4/30/2010 6:59:13 AM I had the wonderful oppertunity of working with this awesome man as well as greg hickman and Dr. Levine in the mid eighties at the N.O.C.R.O.P and learned more than i ever expected, GOD Bless these men. Ed, Springville, CA Posted: 4/29/2010 9:11:25 AM What a wonderful story!! Thoughts and prayers to his family. Janet, Kansas City, MO Posted: 10/28/2009 9:41:47 PM