Dr. David Chico — Veterinarian
David Chico, VMD, MPH, exemplifies the American Hero Veterinarian through his commitment to the betterment of the health and well-being of animals and through his fostering of the human-animal bond in his community, nationally and internationally. He improves the lives of all those he touches, human and animal alike.
Dr. Chico approached PAWS (a program that assists low-income, HIV+ pet parents by assisting with vet care) proposing a free quarterly Pet Wellness Clinic that he would staff. His idea allows those with a compromised immune system to enjoy safely the love of their pet. The stigma around HIV is still strong and many HIV+ folks are alone. As we say, “Imagine having a life-threatening illness; now imagine going through it alone.” Ten years later, these clinics continue and have grown. He answers emergency calls at all hours and makes house calls for those too ill to come to the clinic. Dr. Chico also volunteers with Animals Lebanon in Beirut (an NGO that works to improve animal welfare in Lebanon). He joins the staff providing life-saving care to severely abused and neglected animals. He adopted Habib, a disabled dog from Lebanon.
Dr. Chico also has worked tirelessly on animal cruelty cases through his employment with New York State Agriculture and Markets as well as with the ASPCA and on disaster relief with International Fund for Animal Welfare. He has deployed on several large dog fighting and neglect cases and participated in disaster relief after many hurricanes. And these are only a few examples of his service!
