User:Afac1975

Hi my name is Richard Gallo

I am a small animal veterinarian from Central Florida. Aside from my clinical practice, I am the veterinary consultant for The South Lake Animal League (a no kill animal rescue) and do in- home euthanasia for suffering or terminally ill pets. My interest in the latter stems from my conviction that the veterinary profession be compassionate as well as scientific.

I attended Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan (taking my senior English class with Frank McCourt), received my degree in English and Italian literature at SUNY Binghamton where I took several classes with Aldo S. Bernardo (Petrarch/Dante scholar), and my veterinary degree from the University of Bologna. In addition, I did an exotic animal internship at the London Zoo. Philosophy; Though I firmly believe that the acknowledgement and acceptance of peaceful,stress-free animal euthanasia by veterinarians is essential, I do not advocate   human  euthanasia. I oppose it on religious grounds( I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) because I believe in the sanctity of human life, but embrace humane hospice care ( including the use of any and all palliative drugs for the dying).

Interests Though my training is predominantly scientific, I have a lifelong interest in the arts, thanks to having lived and studied in Italy for 8 years. There, I befriended  a Korean Baritone (Hyun-Soo  Choi) who taught me to love opera. Because he was a winner in the 1988 Pavarotti singing competition I was able to meet the maestro. My wife, Melissa, who is a photographer, my father-in-law, John Duillo, who was a painter and my mother-in-law, Elaine Duillo,  whose romance illustrations helped launch Fabio, all influenced my passion for the arts.

I would be happy to help or advise anyone interested in companion animal topics and certainly would read anything to do with Italy, a country I just love.