We lost our friend and colleague, Michele Ran Kim, on August 20, 2021. Her death was untimely and left much unsaid, and much undone. She was an amazingly talented veterinarian and surgeon. Her colleagues, coworkers, and devoted clients miss her every day.
Michele was deeply connected to all her charges, but especially to the older pets. She "got" their wisdom and their frailty and treated them with the respect they deserved. In her work with rescues, shelters, and veterinary hospitals, she always advocated for the best interests of the animals, even when that wasn't the easiest course to take. In her wake, she leaves behind colleagues and volunteers who handle animals with a new sensitivity.
"Michelle was always generous with her time and shared her expertise with many veterinarians."
A Legacy of Care
Michele's pride, joy, and passion was the veterinary care center within House Rabbit Society Headquarters that she, together with former executive director Anne Martin, created and nourished. This program was a sterling community resource and provided rescues with a model of cooperation to enable better health care for the rabbits in their charge.
It benefitted the HRS Rabbit Center resident rabbits and helped those in care at local shelters and other rescues. Through the veterinary care center's efforts, rabbits were spayed and neutered in a timely fashion, and many overcame health problems that, untreated, would have rendered them un-adoptable.
The 2021 Giving Tuesday matching grant was given in the hope that it will sustain Dr. Kim's dream of improving the lives and adoptability of rabbits in rescue through gentle, respectful care at all levels.
Photos courtesy of Christine Morrissey, of Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary & Sienna Owyang
Chabot Veterinary Clinic (FB post; August 23, 2021) :
To all our beloved clients, we are so sad to announce that Dr. Michele Kim has passed unexpectedly. There are no details, and her family would like their privacy respected during this time of mourning.
Michele's love of animals was obvious and she always went above and beyond to make sure every patient was taken care of. She was an excellent, meticulous doctor, and an outstanding, humble, funny person. We are going to miss her so much. The world is going to miss her so much.
She hated pictures, and would kill me for sharing one, so I found one already posted. Hoping she won't mind.
We are establishing a memorial fund to support rescue/rescued cats and rabbits as we believe she would wish here at Chabot. Funds can be directed to the Linus Memorial Fund (her kitty) at Chabot Vet Clinic and will be used to ensure that rabbits and cats in need are not limited by finances. As we are not a non-profit clinic, the donations are not tax-deductible. We debated directing funds to specific rescues she worked with, but as a group with guidance from her family and close friends, decided she valued all rescues, and their efforts, along with client owned rescued pets.
Edit: For the Linus Memorial Fund, checks can be sent to
Chabot Veterinary Clinic, Note: Linus Memorial Fund, 20877 Foothill Boulevard, Hayward, CA 94541
Call the clinic for credit card donations at 510-538-2330, Thank you so much for all of your support. It means the world to us, and we will compile all these beautiful comments for the family in a hard bound book.
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[Updated on: 05/12/26 12:53]
