From the DAVIS ENTERPRISE

"Once I told my co-worker 'I've had such a bad day, I need to go home and hug my pig,' " Chan tells The Enterprise with a laugh. "Not many people can say that."

Chan, a UC Davis Veterinary Medicine School graduate, owns and operates Phoenix Ranch on the outskirts of Vaca-ville. The sprawling 8 acres is home to countless dogs, parrots, sheep, pigs, chicken, horses and other animals.

Chan invites groups to the ranch — from at-risk youths to home-schooled children to families — to learn about the animals and how to build respectful communities.

Chan believes "bringing out the best in animals brings out the best in us," and that by caring for an animal, people learn about humility, empathy and, ultimately, themselves. On March 21, six foster children from Progress Ranch in Davis came to the Phoenix Ranch to do just that.

"(The kids) picked out an animal they wanted to adopt so they could have an animal they could attach to," says Russ Kusama, executive director of Progress Ranch. "We think it would be good for the kids to understand their own situation. They're fostering the animals on the ranch, and they are being fostered themselves."

"When they visit next time, they can do more with the animal," Chan explains. Progress Ranch youths have visited three times so far. "The kids always leave happy," she said.

"It's interesting to see the collage of different animals on the ranch," Kusama adds.

The kids met parrots, rabbits, Icelandic horses (which are smaller and calmer than other horses), and mini horses like Pixie Stix, who knows how to "shake," turn in a circle and perform other tricks. Most animals on the ranch mingle freely because Chan believes animals that grow up together rarely fight. Dogs walk among roosters and horses, and chickens roam free — Chan finds eggs laid in toolboxes and odd places all over the ranch.

Groups like Progress Ranch visit the Phoenix Ranch a couple of times a month. Most groups — some of up to 30 people — find out about the program through word of mouth or Chan's Web site (http://cetafoundation.com) and usually make a donation for the tour.

"While we offer our programs to anyone who is interested, we especially want to work with at-risk youth," Chan says. "Learning to work responsibly with animals can make a real difference in their lives."

Chan earned her master of preventative veterinary medicine degree from UC Davis in 1990 and in the same year founded Veterinary Outreach, a mobile veterinary and consultation service focused on holistic care.

"A lot of people love animals, but can't afford treatment," Chan says. "I've worked out a lot of methods that are cost-effective and low-tech."

Chan started rescuing and fostering animals as part of her veterinary care; in 2003, she bought Phoenix Ranch and moved her family and animals to Vacaville. Her sons, Andrew and Adam, still attend Davis schools and her daughter, Aida, is a freshman at UC Santa Barbara. Her children, along with ranch manager Ray Kaloi, whom she hired shortly after opening, were instrumental in starting the ranch and caring for the animals.

Chan believes most veterinarians overlook preventative care and focus on fixing health poblems after they arise.

"That's why I started the rescue program; I wasn't happy with the (existing) care," she says. "If you keep animals happy, they're healthier. In the long run, that's more cost-effective."

In addition to running the ranch and her veterinary service, Chan works part-time as a vet at various places in Sacramento. In 2007, she started the California Education Through Animals foundation, a nonprofit through which she offers her ranch tours and rescue and adoption program.

"I make sure the homes animals go to are appropriate homes for them so they don't get bounced around," she says.

She is planning to expand even more in the near future by seeking grants for the CETA foundation and launching a low-cost spay and neuter service. She is looking for people willing to help with different aspects of the program.

"I know there are a lot of animal lovers out there," she says.

Chan admits "the lines have blurred" between the three foundations and that the care of the animals and the paperwork can take their toll. "Sometimes I'm up all night long," she says.

But she knows the work she does is a needed service for the community — not without benefits for herself.

"It's hard to stay depressed with the animals around," she says.