THIS DOCTOR STILL MAKES HOUSE CALLS.

Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY 

Odds and ends from around the Valley:

We mortal humans might be hard-pressed to find a doctor to make a house call when we're too sick to make it into a medical office, but our dogs and cats? No problem.

One of the busiest veterinarians in the Valley these days is Rick Garcia, whose office for the past 10 months has been a full-service medical and surgical hospital on wheels.

Paws & Claws Mobile Vet has been booked solid with pet house calls stretching from Granada Hills to Santa Clarita.

``A lot of clients are elderly people who can't make it into a vet's office anymore with their pets, or the pet is too old and frail for them to take in. Other people call because they want their old, sick pet to die peacefully at home where they can be with them,'' said Garcia, who received his veterinary degree from the University of Miami six years ago.

``There's also less stress, fear and trauma, which often occurs when animals are removed from familiar surroundings. They respond better treated in their own homes.''

The mobile vet van was patterned, in large part, on mobile military medical transports that treat wounded troops in the field.

How hot is Garcia's traveling pet hospital?

``I've already gotten calls from three producers who want to do a reality TV show on the business,'' he said.

For more information, call [phone] or see www.pawsandclawsmobilevet.com.

Last week's column on the Department of Motor Vehicles' new program making it easier for people to become organ donors brought an interesting response from David Undis, executive director of LifeSharers, a Nashville, Tenn., nonprofit that registers organ donors.

``The California DMV deserves congratulations for making it easier to register as an organ donor, but unfortunately too many people remain unwilling to register,'' Undis said. ``There is a simple solution -- give organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.

``It will make the system fairer. About 60 percent of the organs transplanted in the United States go to people who haven't agreed to donate their own organs when they die.

``People who aren't willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.''

So, what do you think?

There must be something in the water at Woodland Park West, an independent and assisted retirement living facility in Woodland Hills.

Resident Bea Fine turned 100 this week and celebrated the milestone with her girlfriends -- Molly Marcus, 105, Dolly Riskin, 102, and Helen Rosen, 101.

``Molly still does her own laundry, Dolly plays cards and bingo, and Bea crochets for our charity groups,'' said social director Ann Studikoff.

And Helen? She's busy putting the moves on her boss, Ann says, laughing.

Happy birthday, girls. Don't stop.

And finally, if you're out and around the Valley on Saturday, take the kids to show off their pets at the 2006 Pet Fair, hosted by Kiwanis Clubs in the West San Fernando Valley. Proceeds will benefit CATS -- Children's Assault Treatment Services -- at Northridge Hospital Medical Center.

There will be pet competitions in categories including fastest eater, best costume, mystery mutt and more. There will also be agility demonstrations, feeding and grooming clinics, obedience and veterinarian clinics.

The fair will be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Disabled American Veterans Hall, 6543 Corbin Ave., Tarzana.

To register for competitions or for more information, call [phone] or see www.kiwanispetfest.org.

dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Veterinarian Rick Garcia operates Paws & Claws Mobile Vet, a full-service medical and surgical hospital for making house calls for animals.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer