Sam Dover — Veterinarian
Sam Dover D.V.M. is the founder and chief veterinarian of Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute (CIMWI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to positively impacting conservation through marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, research and education to promote ocean and human health.
Dr. Dover utilizes his 31 years of experience to care for wounded and stranded marine life along Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. Last year alone they responded to 3,363 Rescue Hotline calls which culminated in rescuing 165 California Sea Lions, 10 Northern elephant seals, 2 Pacific harbor seals, 2 sea otters, 2 common dolphins and 1 ridley sea turtle, as well as collected scientific data on 201 dead stranded marine mammals and disentangled a gray whale from derelict fishing gear.
He supports a variety of research projects around the world providing needed samples and information that is used to track diseases, health patterns and the effects of pollution in the ocean. He is actively involved with researchers studying the effects of anthropogenic influences on marine mammals which ultimately impact human health.
Dr. Dover and his CIMWI team provide medical care and rehabilitate marine mammals with the goal of releasing the rehabilitated healthy animals back to the wild. These animals have a second chance at life because Sam Dover is living his Dream.
