A Tribute to Dr. Sophia Yin

Saying Good-Bye is Never Easy

A Tribute to Dr. Sophia Yin

October 1, 2014

Don DeForge, VMD

It is never easy to say good-bye.  It is especially hard when it is a friend or someone who is a mentor.  I was privileged to have Dr. Sophia Yin as my unofficial mentor and also on my past radio program on WICC Radio-Animal ER and the Human-Animal Bond.

She spoke with gentleness about the importance of caring for all members of the animal kingdom.  She said that pet dogs that were aggressive needed special attention and could be changed.  She lived by reinforcing good behaviors--------positive reinforcement was her way of life.

As we spoke on the radio, I became her friend as she welcomed the audience to participate in the Human-Animal Bond by teaching love.  Her job was not easy and she worked hard to bring companions with advanced social and behavioral inadequacies back to their owners.  She found the unconditional love in her patients that was hidden behind a cloud of fear.  Just think what a gift that is.....she had the gift to bring human and animal together as she celebrated the uniqueness of the Human-Animal Bond.  Her life was about gentleness.  She stated, "dogs respond more predictably when your tone of voice is positive that when a command is stated in a angry or gloomy manner!"

I will miss Sophia.  I never got to meet her as our paths never crossed at the many meetings at which she lectured.  She trained the pet advocate, the veterinarian, and many patients throughout her lifetime.  She made a difference!

  I quote my special friend Leo Buscaglia frequently in my blogs...he writes..."Starting each day, I shall try to learn something new about me and about you and about the world I live in, so that I may continue to experience all things as if they had been newly born."  

Sophia each day...."experienced all things as if they had been newly born."  She shared her love with all that she touched.  We miss you Sophia but will keep you in our hearts and minds.  We will continue to do what you so courageously taught us to do.....return unconditional love to the patients we have been given the privilege to meet, treat, and help.  Good night my friend.  I will never forget you!

Below you will read a short story of Dr. Sophia Yin's life from DVM360.

Veterinary community stunned by Sophia Yin's unexpected death

Prominent veterinary behaviorist died of suicide Sept. 28.

 

Sep 30, 2014

By dvm360.com staff

dvm360

Dr. Sophia YinMembers of the international veterinary community are stunned and saddened by the unexpected loss of Sophia Yin, DVM, MS, DACVB, an applied animal behaviorist, trainer, author and lecturer. According to her obituary in the Sacramento Bee, Yin, 48, died of suicide on Sept. 28 in her home in Davis, California.

An announcement on Yin's official website and Facebook page states, "It is with deep sadness and heartfelt sorrow that we announce the passing of Dr. Sophia Yin ... She enriched many lives and improved the relationship amongst pets and their owners/guardians. She is, and will continue to be, sorely missed." The announcement received thousands of shares, comments and notes of condolence on Facebook.

"America's veterinarian" Dr. Marty Becker wrote a tribute to Yin on his blog, stating that "Sophia was brilliant, passionate, and dedicated to easing the stress and fear that pets feel at the veterinary clinic or in shelters, and this is a major loss to animals. Sophia and her team were revolutionizing animal handling with her 'Stress Less' materials and teaching, and I think the greatest gift all of us could give her is to honor her memory by working doggedly to make sure her vision becomes reality."

Andy Roark, DVM, also posted on Facebook: "It was with shock and heartache that I learned last night that Dr. Yin passed away. She was a champion for pets and for veterinary medicine. She changed the way I handle and treat patients. She made me, and countless others, better healers. The lessons she taught will not be forgotten." And certified animal behavior consultant and author Steve Dale also wrote a heartfelt tribute to Yin on Monday, telling readers, "It was an honor and pleasure to know Dr. Yin. I admired her as a presenter and communicator ... If she only knew how profound her impact was and will continue to be."

According to her official website, Yin’s mission in life was to improve our understanding of animals and their behavior so that we can care for, appreciate, and enjoy our time with them better. Her animal behavior modification and training programs were based on the science of learning, and she was dedicated to helping people communicate with pets in a positive, scientifically sound way.

Yin earned her veterinary degree at UC-Davis in 1993, and later her master’s in animal science with an emphasis in animal behavior in 2001. She authored many books and textbooks, including Low Stress Handling, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs & Cats; The Small Animal Veterinary Nerdbook; How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves and Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right. She was an award-winning columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle for five years and had her own publishing company, Cattle Dog Publishing.

She has consulted for several zoos and served as a behavior expert for TV shows such as Animal Planet’s Dogs 101 and Weird, True & Freaky. Yin also served on the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Handling Guidelines Committee and served on the executive board of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. She was a valued contributor to dvm360.com and has given numerous lectures at CVC. 

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01Oct2014