It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Dr. Marvin Rothman, the founder of Rothman Animal Hospital and a compassionate advocate and friend to all animals.

Words cannot express the depth of our loss, as Dr. Rothman worked by our side for decades as a colleague, friend, mentor, teacher, and enthusiastic leader. His tremendous abilities as a veterinarian and clinician were matched by his steadfast commitment to all animals and their owners, and to the many veterinarians and staff he taught and mentored during his 60-year career. He truly cared about each pet and owner whom he served, and he felt a deep connection with those creatures entrusted to his care. He was a natural-born teacher whose passion for his work and animal welfare shone through in everything he did.

Dr. Rothman was a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating from Penn, he completed a 4-year internship and residency at the world-renowned Angell Memorial Medical Center in Boston, the first veterinary hospital to be run by a humane society. He served as a lieutenant in the Army's Veterinary Corps for several years, and founded Rothman Animal Hospital in 1955. Always an innovator and leader, he saw a need for pet avian and exotic medicine, and was the first veterinarian in the region to provide this highly specialized care. He became widely known for his expertise in this area, lecturing and teaching both nationally and internationally on avian medicine and other topics.

Dr. Rothman was a community leader and a distinguished member of the veterinary profession. Anyone practicing in the region over the past 50 years knew and respected him, as his warmth and kindness were legendary and his knowledge of veterinary medicine was immense. Dr. Rothman loved people and animals, and never missed an opportunity to speak about the unique bond between the two. He enthusiastically spoke on this topic and served as veterinary advisor and board member for Pet Pals, a non-profit need-based organization that provides veterinary care, food and other services to residents of South Jersey who are physically or financially unable to provide for their animal companions. He worked tirelessly to have pets remain with their owners and often spoke to community groups about the tremendous benefits of pet ownership, particularly for senior citizens.

In addition to community work and advocacy, Dr. Rothman was Past President of the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Society, Past President of the South Jersey Veterinary Society and an adjunct professor at Camden County College, where he taught in the school's veterinary technician program.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, two daughters, three grandchildren, and his loyal dog, Dolly.

As we deeply mourn the loss of Dr. Rothman, we are comforted in knowing that he surely was warmly greeted by many animals who have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, and who were happy to see their good friend.