Ever since she was a child, Sophia wanted to be a veterinarian, and in 1993, her dream came true. But once out in private practice, she quickly realized that more pets were euthanized due to behavior problems than medical ones. She went back to school to study animal behavior and earned her Master’s in Animal Science in 2001 from UC Davis where she studied vocal communication in dogs and worked on behavior modification in horses, giraffes, ostriches, and chickens. During this time she was also the award-winning pet columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Upon receiving her degree focused on animal behavior, Dr. Yin served for five years as a lecturer in the UC Davis Animal Science Department. Through these and an eclectic collection of other animal behavior experiences, she came to realize the true secret to successful behavior modification.

On Sept. 29, 2014, Dr. Yin passed away. News of her death elicited an outpouring of sorrow in veterinary circles and expressions of profound admiration for Dr. Yin, a superstar in the animal-behavior arena. Whether they knew her personally or only knew of her, veterinarians around the world have said Dr. Yin strongly influenced their practice.

Every once in a while a cause comes along that aligns with the VIN Foundation’s mission and values. The VIN Foundation collaborates with these causes by helping to raise funds through our established giving process, with 100% of the donations going directly to the cause.

Dr. Sophia Yin’s family chose the VIN Foundation to honor Dr. Yin’s memory by creating the Dr. Sophia Yin Memorial Fund. Gifts made to the Dr. Sophia Yin Memorial Fund will help support the VIN Foundation’s Vets4Vets® program helping colleagues facing the challenges that consumed Dr. Yin. Vets4Vets® provides peer-to-peer support for veterinarians and includes Support4Support providing peer-to-peer support for support staff. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, Vets4Vets® is here to help.

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