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It is with great sadness that we tell you about the loss of our friend and the founder of our hospital.

Dr. Loren Eslinger lost her long and admirable battle with cancer on December 10th, 2009. She was 55 years old.

Although she had boundless energy and a constant cheerful disposition, Dr. Eslinger fought a heroic nine-year battle against cancer.

In 2001 she was first diagnosed, at which time, her doctors gave her only a 35% chance of surviving one more year.

Needless to say, she beat those odds and lived cancer free for nearly five years. Then in 2005 her cancer resurfaced and soon spread. Unwilling to give up, she bravely underwent treatment for the second time and, through her strong will and determination, kept the cancer at bay for several more years.

Dr. Eslinger was an inspiration to all of us because of her positive attitude, adventurous spirit, and fierce defiance in the face of adversity. Anyone who knew her well knows that she was unwilling to be defined by her illness. Long before her diagnosis, Dr. Eslinger was a selfless advocate for animals and a distinguished member of the veterinary community.

Dr. Eslinger attended the University of California at Davis as an undergraduate majoring in Animal Science. She later graduated from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. She completed a postgraduate internship at Coast Pet Clinic Animal Oncology Center in Hermosa Beach, CA and then in 1992 she became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.

Two years later, in 1994, Dr. Eslinger opened her own veterinary hospital because of her diligent devotion and her limitless love for her furry friends. Then in 2007 Dr. Eslinger worked part time at the hospital she established and she continued to give back to her beloved community, devoting countless hours volunteering with Long Beach Animal Control.

She was honored by them recently at a special event hosted by the Friends of Long Beach Animal Shelter and by the Long Beach Animal Control Department for her selfless efforts in aiding stray and abandoned animals.

In addition to her work locally in the community, Dr. Eslinger dedicated herself to reducing over-population of cats. She has funded research to help develop methods to limit breeding in feral cats and has donated generously to organizations that spay and neuter feral cats.

Dr. Eslinger was an amazing woman and inspiration to all who knew her. She was a loving advocate for animals, a highly respected healer, an active community member, a role model for her staff and colleagues, and a generous friend.

She will be dearly missed.

Sincerely,

Dr. Rachel Sitler and Dr. Elyse Frank

For those of you interested in making a donation in Dr. Eslinger’s honor:

Dr. Eslinger informed us that the Long Beach Animal Care Services is establishing the Dr. Loren Eslinger Spay and Neuter Fund.

They are dedicating the medical rooms at the shelter to her legacy. She requested that donations made on her behalf be sent to:

Dr. Loren Eslinger Spay and Neuter Fund
City of Long Beach Animal Care Services
7700 East Spring Street
Long Beach, CA 90815

In addition, we are collecting cards, pictures, and memories about Dr. Eslinger to be included in a Wall of Honor, a memorial board that we are installing in the Belmont Shore Veterinary Hospital.