City Focus:

A year ago, veterinarian Matthew Wheaton had to put down a black lab puppy that he would have otherwise operated on, because the owners couldn’t afford to pay the cost of the required surgery to save their pet. Since the heart-wrenching experience, he has made it his mission to ensure he will never face such a predicament again.

A lifelong Lagunan and veterinarian of 12 years who has managed his own practice since July 2000, Wheaton recently founded the Orange County Pet Rescue Center, a nonprofit organization that will help local pet rescue groups save adoptable cats and dogs from euthanasia in high-kill shelters by providing veterinary care while looking for loving families to adopt them.

“I want to make the rescue effort more efficient,” he said. “What our facility will provide is very unique.”

The idea occurred to Wheaton when his veterinary practice at the Alicia Pet Clinic outgrew the 2,000-square-foot space and was forced to upgrade to a much larger, 6,000 square foot space in Mission Viejo.

He’d been contemplating a rescue effort for a long time, and thought this would be a great way to utilize the old space. However, due to zoning laws that prohibit animal boarding and adoption practices in the current building, the organization is actively looking for a new location.

They have two prospects, but details are still being worked out.

The center plans to foster about 40 to 50 animals for a 30-day period, free of charge, during which time they will make all efforts to market the pets for adoption.

Wheaton’s passion for helping animals is shared by his wife, Blythe, the director of development at the center. Together, they will work with other volunteers at the center to get pets healthy and adoptable.

They would like to make the center a public store front for adoption, but the exact details of how the center will operate are pending.

They will also spay and neuter, microchip and vaccinate pets prior to being released.

If a pet is still not adopted after 30 days, the Pet Rescue Center will give the rescue group from which they got the pet an additional 14 days to “swap out” for a more adoptable one.