Beloved Montclair Vet Retires; Fundraiser Will Keep Work Alive

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A beloved icon to Montclair pet owners is saying goodbye after 50 years of dedicated service, but a fundraiser seeks to raise money to continue his good deeds after his well-earned retirement.

Earlier this month, George Cameron announced his retirement from Cameron Animal Hospital after a half century. The hospital was founded in 1936 by his father, George Cameron. It will continue to operate under the direction of longtime staff members Elizabeth Houston and Michael Martinez, who purchased the hospital in 2018.

Over the course of his career, Cameron built a reputation as not just an excellent doctor, but one with heart and generosity.

“Anyone living in Montclair knew that if you had an animal in need, you could go to Dr. Cameron and he would help,” said Liz Morgan, director of the Montclair Animal Shelter.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Cameron joined his father’s practice in 1970. Since that time, he’s come to the aid of dogs and cats at the Montclair and Bloomfield animal shelters, and served as the veterinarian of record for several local rescue groups. The Cameron Animal Hospital has also been involved in many adoption events over the years, helping to find forever families for a menagerie of homeless animals.

In 2018, Cameron was honored by the Friends of the Montclair Township Animal Shelter for his outstanding contributions to the animals in the community.

“I grew up bringing my pets to Dr. Cameron and his staff,” Houston said. “And when it came time to choose where to practice, I knew there was nowhere else I wanted to be.”

• See related article: Cameron Hospital Gets Kudos From Local Animal Shelter

A retirement party and fundraiser in Cameron’s honor is planned for Sunday, Nov. 3, at Greenleaf Café Eclectic in Montclair. Members of the community are invited to share well wishes with Cameron from 4 to 6 p.m. (Learn more about this local event)

All funds raised in celebration of his legacy will be donated to the Montclair Animal Shelter and the Cameron Animal Rescue program, which will create a low-cost veterinary clinic to provide basic health and wellness care to local pet owners who couldn't afford it.

Contributions to the fundraising campaign can also be made online.

The Cameron Animal Rescue Program currently finds homes for more than 150 animals per year, a local service that won't change with the guard, Houston and Martinez said.

"The rescue work we do, both directly and with shelters and rescue groups, goes to the heart of who we are as a hospital and will never change," Martinez said.

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