Hello, doc! There’s a new Internet sensation sweeping the Web, and his name is Dr. Evan Antin, a veterinarian who’s as cute as his pawed patients.
Antin works at the Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital in Thousand Oaks, California, where he specializes as an “animal expert and exotic animal veterinarian,” according to his popular Facebook page. The vet is on a mission to bring joy to “peaceful animal lovers!” by posting photos (a.k.a. “pelfies”) of himself with his fluffy — and sometimes scaled — patients.
In his latest pic, shared on Instagram on Wednesday, January 27, Antin cradles an adorable puppy while using his stethoscope. “How freaking cute!!?? I guess this isn’t exactly a Pelfie (‘puppy selfie’) but I HAD to put this kiddo up today,” he wrote. “I’ve also noticed a lot more people have taken interest in my work over the last 24 hours — I’m stoked to see so many animal fans like myself!”
Antin earned his undergrad degree in biology from the University of Colorado and his doctorate from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University. He doesn’t just adore fluffy critters: He’s a lover of all animals, including lizards. “They’ve always fascinated me,” Antin told BuzzFeed. “And a big part of that is the fact that they’re basically living dinosaurs.” He told the site that the bond between animals and human beings “is one of the most special things on the planet.”
Antin and the clinic he works at offer services to wildlife creatures on their own dime. “Every animal deserves to be happy and healthy,” his bio on his clinic’s website reads. “Antin shows his understanding of and passion for exotic animals and wildlife in his videos.”