An Opportunity, a Vision, and a Compassion for Animals

Dennice Wilson and Choon Neo Siow grew up in very different environments, yet both found deep connection with the animals around them. Dennice sought out pets and animals everywhere she could as a child growing up in Southern California. Choon Neo lived in an urban Singaporean jungle where monkeys and wild boars lived hidden in rainforest that the city island still preserved, wild animals would encounter from time to time. Those early experiences, paired with their personal relationships with their own pets, shaped a shared lifelong care and compassion for animals and belief in the promise of advancing veterinary medicine. 

We love animals. All animal life. We have a responsibility to take care of them,” Dennice said. “One of our duties in life is to care for animals who cannot care for themselves.” 

Choon Neo and Dennice recently gave a meaningful gift to support the new Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California, scheduled to open in 2026. The new center’s lobby will be named in their honor.

Growing Up: Pets and Wildlife

Dennice grew up with cats and had a love for all animals as a child—a passion that has remained constant throughout her life. She recalls being a very responsible child, but an interest in little frogs near her grammar school once got her sent to the principal’s office. “Looking back, I see now how much animals meant to me, even at such a young age,” she said. “I was not one to get into trouble, but for me to take a look at those little frogs near the school’s property was worth the risk.”

Choon Neo, on the other hand, recalls a complex relationship with animals in her home country. Despite having little contact with them, she has a deep appreciation for all wildlife. Growing up, her family had a pet dog, who unfortunately ran away—so she understood at a very young age how important it was to properly care for her beloved canine companions.

An Appreciation for Veterinary Care

Now retired from careers abroad, Choon Neo and Dennice divide their time between Houston, TX and San Diego, CA. Dennice serves on the board of a large rescue organization in Houston and sees firsthand the need for more trained veterinarians. “The world needs more veterinarians, and with every year, that gap is growing larger,” she said.

Alongside that appreciation of the importance of veterinary health for all animals, Dennice and Choon Neo have had the love and companionship of six dogs: Katie, Sydney, Annie, Harper, Jamie, and Andi. They are fortunate to still have Harper, Jamie, and Andi. The five of them travel back and forth together between Houston and San Diego. The veterinary care their dogs have received has been lifesaving—particularly for one of their beloved Schnauzers, Harper. 

Harper came to Dennice and Choon Neo with pneumonia when he was a four-month-old puppy, requiring veterinary care to bring him back to health. “From that first time he was ill, we never questioned that we would do anything to help him,” Choon Neo said. Later, the team at UC Davis’ William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital helped Harper with a growth on his jaw. Today, Harper is thriving and healthy.  

A Vision for the Future

Choon Neo’s and Dennice’s gratitude for Harper’s care sparked a desire to create a lasting impact. “Our experience with Harper at UC Davis was outstanding,” Dennice said. “We have been very fortunate financially and wanted to support a place we believe in. UC Davis is number one in the nation and number two in the world. The new center in Southern California will transform veterinary care in the region.” 

Dennice is also a longtime friend of Janice K. Hobbs, whose vision and philanthropic leadership made the new center possible. When Dennice and Choon Neo considered how best to direct their support, they turned to Jan for counsel. 

“As we talked with Jan, who has helped us throughout the years as our financial advisor, we wanted to do something that honors her and our wonderful schnauzer companions and advances veterinary health,” said Dennice. “Our gift to the new center to name its lobby gives us a chance to not only do that, but to also help create a future hub of innovation and advancement in veterinary medicine. It felt like everything aligned when we decided to make this gift.” 

Choon Neo and Dennice are looking forward to seeing the new center take shape, including the possibility of bringing Harper and their other dogs there for care once it opens. The new UC Davis Hobbs Veterinary Center’s lobby is thoughtfully designed with a central triage hub, streamlining patient intake and client services. It is being designed with pets and their families in mind, ensuring a calm, reassuring, and warm welcome for all who enter. A rendering of the lobby, and additional spaces within the new center, may be found here. 

Jan Hobbs expressed her gratitude for the generous gift that Dennice and Choon Neo have made. “I have known Dennice and Choon Neo for many years, and they are lifelong friends," she said. "Their enduring love for animals and the way it has translated into meaningful philanthropy is truly inspiring, and I am personally and incredibly grateful for their generosity."

“We support UC Davis and the new center because we are so hopeful for the future that it can bring,” Dennice said. “We have been fortunate to get to know the fellows who are in the current clinic in San Diego—and when their fellowship is completed, they take that knowledge to all parts of the world to create greater impact. We know that when the center opens, there is even more opportunity for expanding fellowships for additional specialties. The training and teaching that the school does, alongside the amazing care for animals, it is all for a bright future for veterinary health.” 

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Learn more about the new Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California, including a match challenge now under way that offers an opportunity to double the impact of gifts to the center.