An excerpt from the autobiography of "Jimmy Joe Rock and Roll" from the gates of heaven:

 

I was born in the year 1995 in Studio City, California. I had a nice home, I think.....but I went jogging one day and got lost. After spending time in a nice lady, I found a family to adopt.

 

That's when I met the love of my life. I named him, Poppy.

 

Poppy and I lived with the big, sad lady and the "teenager who I liked to bite".  We went for walks, ate hot dogs and played with a cat named, Jessie.  Jessie was pretty cool. She and I figured out how to tag team to get food off the kitchen counter and take it to the patio to enjoy together.  I never bit Poppy, though. He was the coolest dude on the planet. He took me to watch a monster truck show in the Wallmart Parking lot. How can you not love that?

 

One day a girl pooch came to live with us called, Zoe. Zoe had an accent. At first I didn't like her much.  Zoe and I became pretty good friends in the end. I liked her a lot...as much as Jessie Cat.  We had another Cat too, but I think he was a stuffed animal and not real because he didn't move. They called him Max anyway.

 

Life with Poppy and my adopted family was great and I enjoyed many adventures.  I would go to work at Universal Studios, running the tunnels under City Walk, and I always ran morning patrol of my backyard making it safe for our pack.  And I loved spinning.  I would wear holes in the grass with my spinning.

 

In August of 2009 I started feeling poorly. I went to the vet alot. Mom even took me all the way to a place called Simi to visit a cousin doctor named Sheila. She was nice and very smart. But I just felt horrible.  No food tasted good. My stomach was always sick.  I started to think I might like to cross the Rainbow Bridge and go live with Jessie and Zoe.  Poppy and Mommy didn't seem to like that idea. They cried a lot and kept trying to feed me and take me to more doctors.

 

Finally.......... they let me go.

 

I crossed the bridge on Friday, January 22, 2010 at 6pm just 15 years after I adopted my Poppy.

 

I like it here in heaven. I spin on a regular basis.  I order a string of frankfurters every day.  I wash my face with Jessie. (She taught me that and, for short while, I thought I was a cat.) I run through poppy fields with Zoe and I think about my own Poppy every day. Occasionally, I lift a cloud above Mt. Lowe and peek in on him to make sure he's ok.

 

Oh, and by the way, that stuffed Cat WAS REAL!  He's here too and he's not so lazy like he was on earth.  Go figure!

Keep it real,

Jimmy

"Zice" was loved by everyone he met.  If he looks familiar, its because he is the "Face" of Yosemite Pet Hospital, joining Sheila in photo's that were used in advertising, in our brochure, and on this website.  With a personality even bigger than his size, he was truly a character, and a member of our veterinary team.  Zice was one of the boys in the Hailfinger family, a neighbor of Dr. Langrock's, and brought a smile to faces wherever he went.  Whether he was holding court in his front yard, laying in the shade on a warm summer day, swimming in his custom built pool, or even spending time with the Staff and Clients at YPH, he exhibited a love of life that warmed your heart. 

The entire staff at Yosemite Pet Hospital sends their warmest wishes to the Hailfinger family.  The Hailfingers offered a few words to the friends of Zice:

"To Everyone that touched our family, and especially our BOYS!

We lost our ZICE this morning to cancer.
Our family would like to thank everyone who enriched his life with a simple stroke of his fur, a pat on his head, scratched his chest or a simple glance in his eyes.  For those were just a few simple things that would melt the heart of our 180 pound BABY!  We equally thank those who never experienced the breathtaking opportunity to meet him, but always inquired how he was doing.  You can be sure he could see your THOUGHTS and LOVE deep within our eyes.
Know that he had a great day today experiencing all the things he loved, and he will be (deeply, intensely, severly, sincerely, greatly, truly and extremely) missed!

LOVE ALWAYS,
Michael, Lisa and Roe-Shame-Bow"

. 

Roxanne Alvis and her "Doggles"

Apparently, Roxanne likes to hang her head out the window in the car and needed some fashionable eye protection.

"Tex" Snelson has been on the trail of Dr. Langrock ever since she moved into Simi Valley in 1997.  He has faithfully followed her around to different Veterinary Hospitals over the years, always happy to see her. Born on Valentines day, he was destined to bring love into the lives of everyone he met. Tex was excited when Sheila opened Yosemite Pet Hospital, and always brought a smile to Sheila and her staff. 

Tex has now moved on, leaving his family with many happy memories of a life shared with this wonderful pet.  We will all miss our good friend Tex and the joy that he brought whenever he visited us. 

Toby & Zoe McKowan enjoy relaxing on a sunny day in our Park!

Memorial to Gal of Vintage Paseo
by Lee Miller

I had a watchdog, a guardian, a friend,
The best little dog that God could send.
She showed her concern for me on every day,
When I was sick or when we could play.
She gave of herself to make the most of it,
She gave me pleasure and loved each bit.

Recently she slowed her pace and showed sign of pain.
The doctors tried their best and made no gain.
It was time for God to ask her to come back home,
So I gave her up to even a better life to roam.
And yet that little girl lets me know she's still here,
Visiting both worlds without any worry or fear.
She watches over me the same as before,
And it makes me love her even more.