Susan Darling knew she wanted to make a difference – being adopted herself, she adopts animals that are without an owner. She has brought in cats (and occasionally a dog) needing a forever home for decades. Her care has helped the lives of many animals, and yet Susan wanted to do even more.
Renovations of an existing building are under way, with design/build team architect Safdie Rabines and builder Swinerton.
The new Janice K. Hobbs Veterinary Medical Center Southern California will be a state-of-the-art facility. When doors open in 2026, the existing UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego, will move to 5040 Shoreham Place in the University City area of San Diego and become the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California.
Time spent on his grandfather’s farm as a boy in Brazil led Andre Le Sueur to become a veterinarian. But that wasn’t enough – veterinary school sparked an interest in nephrology, which studies and treats diseases and conditions of the kidneys, and it took additional years to develop that specialty. Le Sueur served two years as a small animal internal medicine resident at São Paulo State University and then earned his master’s degree specializing in the field.
A typical day for a veterinary cardiologist is usually not “typical” due to the variety of cases, says Dr. Timothy Hodge, DVM, DACVM, veterinary cardiologist at the UC Veterinary Medical Center, Southern California. This specialty is essential for diagnosing and managing different types of heart-related issues in companion animals, and sometimes in larger animals such as horses, and those at the San Diego Zoo.
Construction on the new Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California building has begun! Thanks to a leadership gift by philanthropist Janice K. Hobbs, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine purchased a building located on Shoreham Place in the University City area of San Diego. The 23,000 square foot building will become the center’s new home in 2026.
Thanks to the visionary philanthropy of Janice K. Hobbs, the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California will consolidate and expand UC Davis’ veterinary presence in Southern California. With Hobbs’ generous contribution. the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine was able to purchase 5040 Shoreham Place in San Diego. Following renovation, the 23,000-square-foot facility will become the center’s new home.
Dr. Cedric Dufayet can’t recall a time when he didn’t want to be a veterinarian. Now a nephrologist at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center – San Diego (UCVMC-SD), he leads a specialized hemodialysis and urinary disease program, one of about 15 in the country, and one of just a few in the state.
When UC Davis opened the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center San Diego in the early 2000s, the school had the foresight to bring on a pharmacist on site. Even to this day, having an on-site pharmacist is not common at most veterinary hospitals, mainly due to the cost to operate a pharmacy at a veterinary hospital and the small number of pharmacists with veterinary training.
“Our beloved Laska, a German Shepherd, was seven years old when she suddenly stopped eating and became very lethargic. She didn’t want to be near us. Something was very off. We brought her to our regular vet, who diagnosed her as having kidney failure. Attempts to treat her weren’t working. She continued to decline as she remained at the vet’s office.”
We are excited to share that the Architectural Schematic Design for the Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Center is complete, and the Design Development phase will conclude by mid-November. With contractor selection underway, we are on track for a Grand Opening in Spring, 2026.
Dr. Joao S. Orvalho is a veterinary cardiologist with 20 years of experience at UC Davis, including 17 years at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center in San Diego.
Meet Arthur and learn about the school’s collaboration with the university’s medical school and engineering college in this inspirational video about spina bifida treatments developed at UC Davis.
Susan Walker, a devoted dog rescue volunteer, is forever grateful to the UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego for saving the life of her beloved English Setter Ella, who she adopted seven years ago.
The University of California (UC), Davis has purchased a building in San Diego to expand its veterinary services in Southern California, with the new center slated to open in spring 2026.
After the move, the existing center, UC Veterinary Medical Center - San Diego, will become the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California. The center’s namesake, Jan Hobbs, is a Southern California philanthropist, animal lover, and UC Davis donor who helped make the building purchase possible.
