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Dr. Allen was born in the city of Leverkusen, Germany (FRG), where he spent his childhood and early years. Upon High School Graduation, he was drafted to the German Navy for his obligatory Public Service.
Dr. Allen attended the School for Business Administration (Bayer AG/University of Cologne, FRG), and then expanded his professional career to become a lawyer. After Law School (University of Tübingen, FRG), he worked as an executive for a multi-national corporation.
At this point in his life, he began to realize that his true calling in life was animals. After seven years in the world of business and law, he decided to change profession and to become a veterinarian. In 1994, he graduated from Veterinary School Freie Universitāt Berlin (FU Berlin, FRG) where he also completed his post graduate Internship.
As veterinary resident in Germany, Dr. Allen was offered opportunity to continue his training in the US, rotating through various veterinary specialties in California and other states. During these years, Dr. Allen had the privilege to be taught by some world renowned veterinary surgeons, such as Prof. L. Brunnberg (FRG), Prof. M. Pavletic (MA), and Dr. B. Slocum (OR). In California, Dr. A. Villalobos, an early protagonist of oncology became a close friend and mentor, and advanced dentistry he learned under guidance of Dr D. Nielson.
In 1998, Dr. Allen met his wife, a US citizen of Lebanese descent. The next year, following intense research and family discussions, Dr. Allen accepted an invitation by the Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafiq Hariri, and was commissioned to establish a veterinary teaching facility in Lebanon. In August 2001, Dr. Allen opened LIBANVET s.a.r.l., a Veterinary Teaching Hospital for Small Animals.
Soon after, 9/11 echoed around the world and restarted sectarian friction in Lebanon. Things went from bad to worse, and culminated in January of 2005 in the assassination of the Lebanese PM and interference of Israeli forces in Lebanese territories. In fear for life, Dr. Allen now had to make the difficult decision to flee the country that he and his family had called home, and they evacuated to neighboring Syria.
Whilst in Damascus, hoping to be able to return to Lebanon soon, Dr. Allen continued to follow his passion for veterinary medicine and worked as a consulting veterinary surgeon. However, after two years, with civil war like conditions still wreaking havoc in Lebanon, Dr. Allen decided to leave the Middle East altogether.
In September of 2008, the family arrived in California, the state Dr. Allen had fallen in love with during his residential years in the 90’s. In their possession, several 40 foot containers full of imported veterinary equipment, with plans and ready to be installed in a future hospital in California. The same day of their arrival, however, on Sep 15th, 2008, the global financial crisis hit the markets. Dr. Allen’s plans to open and manage his own veterinary hospital were cancelled by the banks. To give their 2 young children the best conditions for a healthy upbringing and happy childhood the family now made their home in La Quinta. However, as foreign graduate, Dr. Allen needed to commute to Europe to work as a relief veterinary surgeon.
In 2015, Dr. Allen enrolled in the AVMA program to achieve eligibility for veterinary licensure in the United States, and he was issued Veterinary Licensure in the State of California in 2018.
Dr. Allen’s determination and his will power to provide a better life for his family through a major war and most challenging times in his life are an excellent show of his character. His worldly background, rooted in a deeply caring and empathic personality, combined with Dr. Allen’s exclusive training in Veterinary Medicine for Small Animals, brings a new perspective to veterinary medicine for our pets in the desert.
Dr. Allen promotes an understanding of unconditional professionalism and ethics, and to remain considerate of the personal needs of his clients, at all times.
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