As a loyal client/supporter of Dr. Chuck Galvin, you are invited to join us at a picnic to honor him on Saturday, September 18 from noon – 4 pm at the Corte Madera Town Park located at the corner of Tamalpais Drive and Pixley Avenue.

Due to deteriorating health and on the advice of his physician, Dr. Galvin will not petition the Veterinary Board for reinstatement of his license in November as originally planned.  However, Dr. Galvin hopes to open a boarding facility for dogs, cats, birds, etc. at his former animal hospital in Novato shortly.  Dr. Galvin will also devote his time to his health issues and create more art – a.k.a. Stonefox.

You are welcome to bring your friends and relatives to the picnic but sorry pets are NOT allowed because it is a town park.

To help pay for the picnic as well as retire his remaining legal fees, a donation of $50 per client would be appreciated but not required.  Donations should be sent in advance to:

Friends of Dr. Chuck Galvin
15 Hamilton Drive
Novato, CA 94949

We will provide a nice selection of chicken, sausage, hot dogs, and hamburgers.

You can help us by providing:

1)      Hors d’eouvers, salad, or dessert to share with others (please indicate what you may bring)
2)      Water/beverages to share with others – Glass bottles are NOT allowed in the park – only plastic cups/aluminum cans please – Alcohol is permitted but again NO glass bottles
3)      Card tables or larger/chairs for you and your guests

Please email the number of people and what food you are bringing to Lynnette ASAP at LynnetteMFrary@aol.com

Please call me if you have any questions 925-683-1114.

Your participation will make this a great party!!!!

Regards,
John
Friends of Dr. Galvin

January 27, 2010
Reference Case No. AV 2002 3

Dear Board Members,

Thank you for this opportunity to address the California Veterinary Medical Board Members.  My name is John Belluardo.  I am the spokesperson for the Friends of Dr. Galvin, a group of several hundred people who represent Dr. Chuck Galvin’s 20,000clients.  I have also been a client of Dr. Galvin’s for the past 17 years and although I have not lived in Marin County for the past 10 years, it has been well worth the drive of one-and-a-half hours each way from my home in Danville so my dogs could receive the best care possible in the Bay Area which was provided by Dr. Galvin.  I know all of his clients feel the same way that no distance is too far for their pets to see Dr. Galvin. Because of his tremendous skills, Dr. Galvin has clients from Southern California and even out of state.

An unintentional consequence of Dr. Galvin’s revocation has been the tremendous void for skilled care this has created in the animal community not only for his clients and their individual pets, but also for the numerous non-profit animal rescue organizations which relied on him exclusively to perform incredible amounts of pro bono services.  Further, Dr. Galvin routinely performed successful surgeries that most veterinarians would fail if they were even attempted.  Quite frankly, the vast majority of Dr. Galvin’s clients, based on previous unsatisfactory experiences with other veterinarians, are now faced with sub-standard care at exhorbitant prices.

I hope you will listen carefully to my remarks with an open mind and embrace both the sincerety, and just as importantly, the perhaps unexpected message of reconciliation.  We have not come to re-try the case – Dr. Galvin had his day in court and lost.

When we learned in October 2009 that Dr. Galvin’s license was to be revoked effective Nov. 6, 2009, we were angry and felt betrayed by you – the agency that was supposed to protect our pets – not deprive us of the most highly-respected veterinarian in the Bay Area.  In a last attempt to save Dr. Galvin’s license, 75 people accompanied by 25 pets held peaceful protests on Oct. 29 in Sacramento at the offices of the Veterinary Board, Attorney General, and Governor.  Executive Officer Sue Geranen, to her credit, met with the group and listened to our oncerns.  However, we were shocked and disappointed again when she told us that more than 1,000 letters of support written by Dr. Galvin’s clients were never officially considered during the court proceedings simply because they did not specifically reference Case No. AV 2002 3.  Since that discovery, all of our letters have referenced that case number.  Sue Geranen also told me we should continue to reference that case number regarding subsequent letters supporting the petition Dr. Galvin will file for reinstatement when he is eligible in November 2010.  I would like to add that Sue has been professional and cooperative during this ordeal and that is appreciated by our group.  Please consider this as a formal request that I be notified immediately if there is a change in how to submit letters that will be taken into account supporting Dr. Galvin’s petition.

Now, with the passage of time, we are better able to understand why you chose to revoke Dr. Galvin’s license.  We understand that you made your decision based on the information that was presented to you.  More than 100 people have come here today to support Dr. Galvin.  We have tremendous respect for  the importance and difficulty of your position as protectors of the public.  By the same token, we are the public and as clients for as long as 40 years, none of us would be here today if we thought for a moment that Dr. Galvin ever commtted animal cruelty.

It was unfortunate that Dr. Galvin’s attorney failed to sufficiently distinguish fact from fiction regarding the original allegations of animal cruelty brought by a few disgruntled former employees whose motivation was monetary or revenge for being fired.  However, it is noteworthy that two Marin County Judges, Lynn Duryee andJohn Richie, both ruled in favor of Dr. Galvin, although he eventually lost the case on appeal.

We have come to respectfully request that you grant Dr. Galvin’s petition for reinstatement when he is eligible in November 2010.  We know the action you take will not be based on a popularity contest, but the people here today are a testament to the tremendous respect and confidence they have, not only in Dr. Galvin’s extraordinary professional skills, but in his character as a person of uncommon caring, compassion, and gentleness with our pets.

We know that Dr. Galvin is not perfect and he has made mistakes.  We also know that, ultimately, Dr. Galvin will determine his own fate.  You determined that Dr. Galvin should be disciplined – that has been accomplished – revocation is the most severe punishment possible.  In that respect, how a person deals with adversity is the true measure of a person’s character and is properly viewed as a challenge and an opportunity to help others.

You will be interested to know that Dr. Galvin has had a monumental change in attitude.  He now understands and accepts responsibility for his actions and is remorseful.  Because Dr. Galvin is a skilled veterinarian, he is very capable, but more importantly, willing to no longer practice techniques which could be viewed or construed as inappropriate to the welfare of animals.  If allowed to resume his practice, he will utilize only those techniques which are approved by the Veterinary Board when restraint is necessary.  He also now fully understands and believes it is his responsibility to comply with all administrative requirements as well.

In this new spirit of compliance and cooperation, Dr. Galvin has already begun his rehabilitation.  He is contacting several local social service agencies to volunteer his time and talents towards helping the underpriviledged and handicapped in the community.  He is also going to take additional anger management classes to address the Board’s concerns regarding his temperament.  Dr. Galvin also now welcomes the opportunity to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to demonstrate to the Board that his emotions are properly under control.  Further, he will paticipate in continuing education seminars, etc. to stay current in his field.

Dr. Galvin will use this one year period of revocation to rehabilitate himself to the point where you will be proud to once again call him your colleague.  In closing, I ask you to consider a quotation from English poet Alexander Pope who said, “To err is human, to forgive is divine.”

Again, thank you for your kind consideration of this matter.

John Belluardo
Friends of Dr. Galvin
P.O. Box 2931
Danville, CA 94526
(925) 683-1114

Directions to Vet Board – 2005 Evergreen St., Sac
Take I-80 EAST towards Sacramento
Take 50 South Lake Tahoe/Business 80 Capitol City Fwy towards downtown Sac
Take I-5 North towards Redding
Take Garden Hwy exit – go LEFT on Garden Hwy/continue straight and it becomes Arden
Go RIGHT on Royal Oaks Drive
Go LEFT on Evergreen St – Vet Board is on the corner on the left -
This is actually the Dept. of Consumer Affairs bldg. – we will meet in the parking lot assuming it is not raining.

IMPORTANT: Anyone planning on speaking should contact me immediately work 925-422-2567 evening/weekend 925-683-1114.  We need to discuss your remarks
(limited to 3 minutes) to make sure they are appropriate and set a positive tone to the Board for Dr. Galvin.  It would be extremely helpful to hear from anyone associated with animal organizations.

I hope everyone will also write a letter to give to the Board members. Please provide 7 typed copies and limit your remarks to one page.  Please email  your letter to me ASAP at hockeyjohn@att.net

Here are some helpful guidelines for your letter:
California Veterinary Medical Board
2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 2250
Sacramento, CA 95815

Board Members:

• State your name, address, and how many years you have been Dr. Galvin’s client.
• State you are writing regarding Case No. AV 2002 3
• State you would like your remarks considered when Dr. Galvin petitions to have his license reinstated in November 2010.
• State what special skills Dr. Galvin has.
• Comment on his personal character.
• State a specific incident which demonstrates special care provided by Dr. Galvin.
• State Dr. Galvin would never commit any acts of animal cruelty.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards,
John

1)  We have an urgent, critical need for at least 50 volunteers (you and your friends) to make phone calls to Dr. Galvin’s client list (a big thanks to those who helped put this together) so we may obtain their email addresses and contact information to keep them informed of future notices.  There are a few thousand clients to be contacted which is why we need so many volunteers.  The phone calls can be done from your home or office at your convenience.  We will provide a call list and talking points to guide your calls.

Volunteers should have the following abilities:
- Capable of focused communication to convey information
- Good hearing and legible handwriting (printing)
- Capable of devoting at least 3 hours within the next 2 weeks to this task

Please contact Dr. Galvin’s office directly if you can help at (415) 883-4626. His staff is available Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 am – 5 pm.

2) We are getting close to visiting the Vet Board on Jan. 27 at  2 pm in the 1st Floor Hearing Room, 2005 Evergreen Street, Sacramento to tell them why they should approve Dr. Galvin’s petition for reinstatement next year.  We hope 200 of you will be able to come and show your support.  Please email Lynnette ONLY if you plan to attend and have not done so already – LynnetteMFrary@aol.com – there will not be any response to your confirmation.  DO NOT email Lynnette if you are not able to come or are undecided at this time.  This meeting is in a formal board room – sorry – no pets or signs allowed. If you have a vehicle available for carpooling, please meet at Dr. Galvin’s office at 11:30 am Jan. 27.

If you plan on speaking, PLEASE EMAIL ME a draft of your statement (no more than one typed page) so I can make sure your remarks are appropriate and will have a positive impact for Dr. Galvin.  Please send your drafts (include your phone number for me to contact you as well) to:
HockeyJohn@att.net or
John Belluardo
P.O. Box 2931
Danville, CA 94526

You may also call me at (925) 683-1114.

Again, regardless of your feelings, please DO NOT CRITICIZE the Vet Board – we need the Vet Board to be openminded/supportive regarding Dr. Galvin.  Please direct your comments to why Dr. Galvin deserves reinstatement, his unique skills, loss to the community, and the impact losing Dr. Galvin has had on you and your pets.

Please include the following in your statement:

- Address your remarks to California Veterinary Medical Board, 2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 2250, Sacramento , CA 95815.
- In the beginning, include your name, address, and how many years you have been a client of Dr. Galvin.
- State you are writing regarding Case No. AV 2002 3 and you would like your remarks considered when Dr. Galvin petitions to have his license reinstated in November 2010.
- State Dr. Galvin would never commit any acts of animal cruelty.

3) We are starting to collect money to pay Dr. Galvin’s legal expenses when he applies for reinstatement.  A generous client has offered to match the first $1,000. of donations. Please make checks payable to: “The Friends of Dr. Chuck Galvin”, 15 Hamilton Drive, Novato, CA 94949.  Any amount is very helpful.  Hopefully every client can contribute something.

4) Please encourage your friends to join our support group for Dr. Galvin.  They can subscribe for email updates at: ChuckGalvin_CaseUpdates-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Dr. Galvin thanks you for your help and support – your devotion keeps him strong.

Regards,
John Belluardo

Click Here to view the PDF of Dr. Galvin’s Letter to the Veterinary Board.

September 16, 2002

Dr. Chuck Galvin, DVM
15 Hamilton Drive
Novato, CA 94949

RE: Kerry Barlogio

Dr. Chuck Galvin:
My name is John W. Rundle, I am the blood sibling of Kerry Lynn Rundle; AKA Kerry Barlogio. I am sorry to hear that you have fallen prey to her vicious lies and manipulations. My sister has had a problem with exaggerating the truth for a good portion of her life. My mother can testify to this, and on many occassions I myself have witnessed my mother commenting on Kerry’s embellishment of the truth and how she begins to believe her own lies and fantasies as those of the truth.

When Kerry first spoke of you, she said you were the best Veterinarian she had ever met. Not only in the quality of your work but the compassion you demonstrated in the animals you treated. Kerry has also told me that on occasion there have been customers who were unable to pay the fees for services rendered and that you have done pro bono work for these customers simply out of the interest in saving an animals life. Your name came highly recommend by Kerry. In fact she suggested (almost demanded) that I have all my animals treated by you. I am astounded at her sudden change of heart.

I was very surprised at her “overnight” change of heart towards you. I was working with Kerry at BSI, the same time that she was filling in at your office. At that time you were her God, her guru, her Jim Jones as I jokingly some times referred you as. She had nothing but praise for you, your work and really anything you said. I once told her drinking so much milk at her age was not healthy, she said I didn’t know what I was talking about. Two weeks later she tells me she doesn’t drink milk anymore because Chuck said it was bad for her. I mean as far as she was concerned the sun rose and set with you.

I have been to your office and have been given a tour by Kerry. She pointed out all the humorous displays, and your noted puns throughout the office. Some were a sort of blue humor, but I found (as did she) they were in good taste and very funny. Little things to lighten your spirit when your mind was on a sick or dying pet.

My sister has shown a type of manipulation towards elderly people. It seems she works her way into their hearts either for financial gain or for possessions they might will to her, before they die. While employed at Sequoia in San Francisco, she befriended a lady named Leah. On one occasion I overheard a conversation, while working at BSI. Leah called the office from her hospital room and asked Kerry to bring all her things that Kerry had of hers, back to her apartment (at the Sequoia). Just days before, Kerry wanted me and other workers to come with her and take our “pick of the goodies” so to speak. I declined the offer and found it curious as to why Kerry did. I believe this manipulation to be happening with my mother. Attempting to take her for what little money she has left after my stepfathers death.

If I had to use one word to describe Kerry, it would be “evil”. She is a very evil person with no conscious at all. In our family, Kerry is like a malignant cancer in an otherwise healthy organ. I’m very sorry that you had to be added to her list of people she has hurt.

Sincerely,
John W. Rundle

To view this letter in a PDF, Click Here.

We need at least 200 supporters of Dr. Galvin to attend this meeting.  This is our best chance to tell the Board directly in person why Dr. Galvin should have his license reinstated.  You will have an opportunity to speak to the Board members.  They can’t ignore the testimony on the record of 200 people as part of their quarterly meeting.  I have contacted the Board and they are expecting us.

This opportunity is more important and more powerful than any letter you can write.  You can work half a day in the morning – come to Sacramento with us – and easily be home for dinner by 6 pm.  We will leave from Dr. Galvin’s office at NOON so carpooling will be available or you can meet us in Sacramento.

I realize it is 2 months away but we need some idea of how many people may be available.  Please indicate by return email to Lynnette if you and how many of your friends/relatives are planning to attend.

If you can’t come please DO NOT email us.

Thank you for your continued support of Dr. Galvin - we need him now more than ever.

Only through your actions will he get his license back.

http://videos.sacbee.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=7002826

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger                 Case No. AV 2002 3
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor,

I am writing to you because you have the ability to stop a grave injustice.  I am the spokesperson for “Friends of Dr. Galvin”, a group of several hundred people. We represent 20,000 clients of Dr. Chuck Galvin, a Novato veterinarian.  We have come together to try to save the license of Dr. Galvin.  A misguided CA Veterinary Medical Board intends to revoke Dr. Galvin’s license effective Nov. 6, 2009. He has been the Bay Area’s most competent and popular Vet for the past 40 years.  He has extraordinary skills which have saved or extended the lives of thousands of pets.

You are our last hope. The Vet Board has attempted to put Dr. Galvin out of business for the past 10 years.  Dr. Galvin is faced with the loss of his license due to a malicious complaint filed by a former disgruntled employee, who was fired for poor performance and was later rejected in her attempts to be rehired.  The Vet Board has blindly believed her false allegations.  I have enclosed a letter from her brother that states she lied in this case and is a perpetual liar.  Unfortunately, he was not able to testify at the court hearing due to his hospitalization for surgery.

Marin Superior Court Judge Lynn Duryee in a 2003 ruling said, “Why would anyone believe these lies,” referring to the plaintiff’s allegations. Most importantly, Judge Duryee ruled Dr. Galvin was innocent of all animal cruelty charges. The Vet Board appealed that ruling on a legal technicality and has taken a series of legal actions against Dr. Galvin. Dr. Galvin has neither committed nor admitted to any acts of animal cruelty.  Dr. Galvin has admitted to restraining violent animals in a few incidents.  Restraining violent animals is appropriate when necessary and is totally different than animal cruelty.

I have also enclosed a photograph of a protest to support Dr. Galvin in front of the State Capitol on Oct. 29, 2009.  We also protested that same day at the offices of the Vet Board and Attorney General Brown.

I have enclosed our press release associated with the protests that lists several pet and rescue organzations as contacts in support of Dr. Galvin.

One of the most disturbng things we learned at the Vet Board protest from Executive Director Susan Geranen was that more than 1,000 letters of support for Dr. Galvin were ignored because they did not specifically reference Case No. AV 2002 3.  This arbitrary, narrow-minded, and technicality driven action is typical of the Vet Board mindset which is prejudicial against the defense of Dr. Galvin.

Further, in a letter dated July 16, 2009 (enclosed), Dr. Galvin attempted to explain to the Vet Board in great detail the reasons why the allegations against him were false.  He specifically addressed incidents to put them in proper perspective.  Unfortunately, the Vet Board again made a unilateral decision that this information could not be shared with its members which serves only to perpetuate the ignorance of the Vet Board regarding the facts in this case.

I hope you will honor our request and grant justice to Dr. Galvin.  We respectfully request you to order Attorney General Brown to immediately rescind the revocation of Dr. Galvin’s license and cease further legal harassment.
In the event that this reaches you after Dr. Galvin’s license has been revoked, we request that you take all actions necessary to have Dr. Galvin’s license reinstated immediately.

Sincerely,
John Belluardo
Friends of Dr. Galvin
P.O. Box 2931
Danville, CA 94526
925-422-2567 work
925-683-1114 evening/weekend

A great injustice is about to happen unless Marin IJ readers rally to support a Novato veterinarian.  The state Veterinary Board intends to revoke his license due to false allegations of animal cruelty by a few disgruntled former employees.

The state board’s executive officer, Susan Geranen, continues to erroneously tell the media and public that Dr. Charles Galvin has admitted to animal cruelty.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

He has neither committed nor admitted to animal cruelty. He has stated there were four incidents where violent animals had to be restrained.  Restraint is totally different than false accusations of animal cruelty.

Marin Superior Court Judge Lynn Duryee ruled in 2003 that Dr. Galvin was innocent of all animal cruelty allegations. The judge also said, “Why would anyone believe these lies?” – referring to the allegations.

Yet the state board continues its misguided prosecution.

More than 1,000 letters of support for Dr. Galvin have been sent to the board, Attorney General Jerry Brown and the governor, but have been ignored.

Approximately 75 supporters and 25 pets, representing 20,000 clients, protested in Sacramento on Oct. 29, demanding justice for Dr. Galvin.

His 30 years of distinguished service to the greater Bay Area should not go unnoticed. He is the most competent and popular vet in the entire area.

Join us by contacting the state board, the attorney general and the governor and demand they immediately rescind the revocation of Dr. Galvin’s license.

Please reference “Case No. AV 2002 3.”

John Belluardo, Danville, Friends of Dr. Galvin