Robert Hoffman, MD
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Robert Hoffman M.D., shown here with Oscar, is one of the founding board members of CAPE. He is a retired neurologist and part time clarinet and saxophone player for community symphony and theater orchestras.
For a number of years he worked with PETA and other organizations in their efforts to reduce animal research. His most memorable medical experience was providing a neurological consultation on a giraffe at the San Francisco Zoo, this being the only examination of his career requiring a stepladder. |
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Don Conkling, DVM, and with beloved Leia blind rescue from Mexico desert, retired this year after 45 years practice, long term veterinary volunteer for CAPE and CWOB, hospice volunteer, therapy animal volunteer and evaluator, and proud grandpa of Lauren and Evelyn
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Don conkling, dvm
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Becky smith
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Becky has been an animal advocate for decades. While in graduate school, she created an arrangement with a local veterinarian to care for dogs and cats that had been dumped in her rural neighborhood. She created an informal abandoned dog placement project and encouraged fellow students to adopt many of the animals who needed homes.
At the close of her high technology career in 2010, Becky decided to focus on the care and well-being of wildlife and domestic animals. This involved volunteer work with the Peninsula Humane Society’s Wildlife Care Center, the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, and an operations/admin. role with HSUS’s Rural Area Veterinary Services team. Becky was invited to join the Board in 2000 to provide business and financial guidance, and since then she has become a vital and integral part of the team. |
Bonnie Yoffe-sharp, dvmDr. Yoffe-Sharp is a veterinarian who is also a founding member of CAPE. She was on the organizing committee to establish a specialty in shelter medicine and earned her specialty as a Diplomat of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Shelter Medicine in 2016. She has spent most of her career practicing shelter medicine both as Medical Chief of Staff at the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA for 14 years and then as City Veterinarian for the City of Palo Alto's municipal animal shelter for 20 years.
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She has also done relief work in both emergency and private veterinary hospitals. Dr Yoffe has been a speaker at veterinary conferences on the topics of the link between interpersonal violence and animal abuse as well as on the veterinarian's role in recognizing and reporting animal abuse. She has also trained veterinarians and veterinary students on early age spay and neuter techniques.
She has been published in the JAVMA (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association) as well as authored a chapter in the Shelter Medicine for Veterinarians textbook.
She has been published in the JAVMA (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association) as well as authored a chapter in the Shelter Medicine for Veterinarians textbook.
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Josh novic, M.A., M.D.Josh Novic, M.A., M.D., is a founding member of CAPE. He has been committed to animal rights since his college days. While a neurology resident, he testified in the California senate in support of a bill to exempt interested high school students from participating in animal dissections. As a member of the Stanford Medical Ethics Committee, he published a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine criticizing the committee's official report that attempted to justify the use of animals in medical experimentation.
He and JP Novic have a longstanding mutual interest in animal rights, and in fact their wedding vows specifically acknowledged this. Their greatest joy is that their daughter, Zoe, is committed to carrying on with this important work. |
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JP's previous career as an occupational therapist at Stanford Hospital ultimately led her to follow her true passion, which is animal rescue and advocacy. In 1982, she made the decision to change her career path and to devote her life to helping animals. She took a position at The Palo Alto Humane Society as the humane educator and to prepare as a presenter in class rooms and lecture halls. She was inspired to delve deeply into animal welfare and animal rights issues. The more she learned about the abuse of animals in the food, bio medical, household product and entertainment industries, the more motivated she became to speak out on behalf of animals regarding these issues.
In 1987, JP went to work for the Peninsula Humane Society as the Volunteer Coordinator and in 1989 she worked for The Humane Farming Association developing educational and outreach materials. From 1985 thru 1990, JP served as the public member of the Letterman Army Institute of Research (LAIR) providing a voice for the animals who were being subjected to extremely inhumane, painful and redundant experiments. In 1991, JP was invited to go to Washington DC where she testified in front of the Congressional Armed Services Committee to report on the extreme animal abuse occurring at LAIR. In 1991, JP and a small group of dedicated volunteers, founded the Spay Neuter Action Project (SNAP), a non-profit organization based in San Diego, California. SNAP is still going strong today and has provided affordable spay and neuter to thousands of animals in San Diego County. In 1992, JP, along with a group of dedicated veterinarians, medical doctors and experienced animal protection volunteers, founded CAPE. JP serves as the Executive Director of CAPE and is very proud to report that over the past 31 years, CAPE has saved thousands of animals through our rescue, outreach and sanctuary programs. |
JP Novic
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