Hometown Hero! Dr. Neil Shaw Treats Pets in Need for Free

In these tough economic times, too many owners are forced to scrimp on their pet’s medical expenses because they can’t afford to give them the care that they need. So thank goodness for people like Dr. Neil Shaw, a veterinarian and owner of Florida Veterinary Specialists, who has given away $1.2 million in services for 400 injured pets and 20,000 wild animals. Profiled in PEOPLE magazine this week, this pet hero has helped people like Catherine Hartill, whose cat Louie was run over by a car last year. She couldn’t come up with the cash to foot Louie’s $24,000 vet bill so Shaw stepped in and saved the cat’s life. “It’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” Hartill says. For Shaw, it’s all in a days work. “Pets are members of the family,” he says. “It’s not okay to say, ‘There’s nothing we can do.’”

Read more about Dr. Neil Shaw in this week’s issue of PEOPLE magazine and leave your comments about this hometown hero below!