Lin Zucconi’s dedication to animals started at an early age. She loved her sister’s cat and had turtles of her own. Her dedication to them earned her the nickname in her neighborhood as the “turtle doctor.” When she went away to college at the University of California, Berkeley, she ensured the turtles had a home at the Oakland Zoo. As she moved into adulthood, she stayed dedicated to animals, especially cats.
Lin currently has two Abyssinian cats named Itsybelle (16 years old) and Pinky (17 years old). Both are receiving care from the School of Veterinary Medicine’s teams in oncology, ophthalmology, and internal medicine.
“I can’t say enough how amazing the team is at Vet Med,” she said. “The specialists communicate with each other to assure that Itsy and Pinky have the best possible outcomes.”
Lin’s other Abyssinian named Doc was also treated by UC Davis during his lifetime. Doc and Itsybelle contracted feline herpes virus in utero that resulted in significantly impaired vision. Doc was also treated for asthma, a kidney tumor, and chronic renal failure—a common disease in older cats. The treatments helped him live comfortably through the end of his 15 and a half years.
“I was living in Truckee at the time, and would make the drive for Doc, Pinky, and Itsy to be treated at UC Davis,” she said. “I absolutely love the care that everyone involved in the school has given them over the years. When the school invited me to take a more active role in helping with philanthropy and being on the Dean’s Leadership Council, I was thrilled.”
Lin established the Zucconi Feline Family Support Fund with the Center for Companion Animal Health in the hopes to help the center treat cats with chronic and infectious diseases. Her hope is that UC Davis will be able to use the funds to find the root causes and cures for chronic feline diseases. She has also made a planned gift through her estate plan, creating more funding for generations of cats to come. Lin is also a longtime supporter of the College of Engineering, providing an endowed scholarship to women in STEM.
“Sometimes, people treat cats as self-maintaining because of their independence and people mistake this as not needing as much care as their other pets,” Lin said. “I wanted to establish the Zucconi Feline Family Support Fund so that the school can advance care for cats and thus help them live long, healthy, and happy lives.”
Lin is very clear on the impacts of her philanthropy. “I’m achieving two things. First, I’m helping Vet Med and the wonderful people there. The students’, residents’ and attending veterinarians’ care and love for animals are so apparent. Second, I really want to help cats because mine are the loves of my life.”
Lin’s passion for companion animal welfare also compelled her to serve as an advocate for feline health and medicine, and as a member of the school’s Dean’s Leadership Council. “Through my work with Vet Med over the past years, I see truly how much the school does,” she said. “Vet Med is so much more than pets – it is transformational for animals and humans.”
After what she has learned through her support and work with the school, Lin has advice for others. “I feel so privileged by the fact that I can do something for animals that I really believe in, and for the opportunity to support the school. If you have more than you need, do something with it. Find what you really believe in that does good and support it.”
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About Planned Giving
Part of Lin Zucconi’s philanthropy to the school has been through planned giving, one of the many ways to support the school. By including the School of Veterinary Medicine in an estate plan, your generosity will have a powerful impact—inspiring bigger ideas and bolder solutions that make a difference. Learn more.