The Dr. Dennis J. Ovitsky Veterinary Care Fund was established in Dr. Ovitsky’s memory by his family upon his passing in 2008 for the purpose of treating NEADS Service Dogs in Training who encounter severe or unusual medical conditions.

Dr. Ovitsky served on the NEADS Board of Directors from 1991 until his passing, and was actively involved in many aspects of the organization.  Dr. “O”, as he was affectionately known by his friends and colleagues at NEADS, was a major contributor to the design and development of our Princeton campus. He was a strong supporter of our Service Dogs for Veterans (even naming one of the program’s dogs Ruthie in memory of his mother) and the Prison PUP Program, participated in our delegation to South Africa to introduce service dogs for the People to People Program, and assisted several clients in raising funds and providing veterinary care for their Service Dogs.

Since the onset of the fund, several of our Service Dogs have received treatment for various severe and/or urgent orthopedic, cardiological, gastrointestinal, respiratory and dermatological conditions. With the help of the Ovitsky Fund, all these dogs received the necessary treatment and saw successful outcomes.

In memory of Dr. Ovitsky’s passing on May 14, 2008, his family, along with us at NEADS, would like to encourage you to donate to this fund to help ensure that we can continue to provide prompt and effective medical treatment to our service dogs who need additional levels of care. Support NEADS through the Ovitsky Fund here.

Originally published 5/9/2018; updated 5/9/2023