Vet’s Skill Soothed Pets, Owners for Generations

When he examines his last patient today, Dr. Dean Aberman will be doing more than simply ending his veterinary career of 32 years. He will be leaving an empty space in the lives of thousands of clients who have come to count on him as one of those few, reassuring constants.

Aberman, 60, has been treating animals at Los Angeles Central Animal Hospital just north of downtown near Cypress Park since 1968, and his patient list surprises even him.

After recently making 1,000 copies of a letter to inform his most valued clients of his retirement, he found he couldn’t whittle the list that far.

“He’s got this golden touch with animals,” said Suzette Manlulu, a client. “He’s irreplaceable. It’s sad, because it’s hard to find someone who is really important to our life and also to our cats’ lives.”

Some clients have been uncommonly loyal.

“We had clients that came here for years and years, then they moved to Santa Barbara, and they still come--for a rabies shot!” said Fran Townsan, who has worked at the hospital for more than 30 years.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Aberman said, he noticed a client giving him a peculiar look during a typically crowded Saturday.

“I said, ‘Is there something I should know? Do I know you?” Aberman recalled. “And he said, ‘Well you don’t remember me.’ This guy’s taller than me: 6-foot-2, 6-3. And he said, ‘Well, I used to come in here with my grandma, and then my ma.’

“Those are the kind of relationships you can never replace.”

Today, Aberman hands over ownership of the clinic, and the title of chief veterinarian, to his associate, Dr. Edward Simon.

Los Angeles Central Animal Hospital will continue to conduct business as usual. Scooter, the Chihuahua with no front legs who was left on the clinic’s doorstep last year, will remain in residence. So will Herman, the ringneck dove that has made its home in the waiting room for the last 25 years.

But Aberman will be missed.

“He listens,” said Kay Erland, a 15-year client who counts on Aberman to take care of her five cats and one squirrel. “He doesn’t seem to be in it for the money; he seems to have a lot of empathy for the people in the area as well as the animals.”