{"id":123365,"date":"2026-02-05T00:57:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T00:57:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/123365\/"},"modified":"2026-02-05T00:57:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T00:57:30","slug":"popular-veterinarian-dies-while-treating-a-dog-in-nyc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/123365\/","title":{"rendered":"Popular veterinarian dies while treating a dog in NYC"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.\u2014 Dr. Ashraf Hussein\u2019s life calling was protecting and helping animals in need.<\/p>\n

To his family, the 56-year-old Eltingville man was devoted to animals long before most people ever knew his name. A veterinarian with an enormous heart, Hussein dedicated his life to treating pets in need \u2014 often volunteering at a low-cost mobile vet clinic van in Queens.<\/p>\n

He worked multiple days throughout the week alongside his close friend, 73\u2011year\u2011old Garo Alexanian, identified by the New York Post<\/a> as the owner of the vehicle Hussein used to treat animals. Together, the veterinarian and Alexanian provided affordable care to pet owners who struggled to access it.<\/p>\n

On Feb. 1, Hussein\u2019s life ended unexpectedly when the mobile veterinary clinic became lodged in a snowbank in Flushing, Queens.<\/p>\n

Hussein, dedicated to his work, was found dead inside the vehicle while performing surgery on a dog who was also found deceased, the NYPD said.<\/p>\n

Alexanian was discovered unconscious.<\/p>\n

The incident is under investigation, said the NYPD.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.Ashraf Hussein died while performing surgery on a dog inside a mobile vet clinic.Courtsey of Mahmoud HusseinA dedicated worker<\/p>\n

Hussein\u2019s journey to becoming a veterinarian in New York began in the early 1980s, when he immigrated from Egypt to Brooklyn, his son Mahmoud Hussein recalled.<\/p>\n

Though Hussein had already earned his veterinary degree from Cairo University\u2019s School of Veterinary Medicine, he had to rebuild his career from the ground up in the United States.<\/p>\n

To support his family, he spent years working as a cab driver\u2014always holding onto the dream of returning to veterinary medicine, his son said. <\/p>\n

Through unwavering commitment and determination, Hussein restarted his career as a licensed veterinary technician and eventually regained his full veterinary license.<\/p>\n

Most recently, the doctor practiced at Aadobe Animal Hospital in Port Richmond, where he was known for treating every animal as an individual. His expertise spanned internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, and complex orthopedic and soft\u2011tissue surgeries, according to the practice\u2019s website.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cFor many of you, Dr. Hussein was more than a veterinarian \u2014 he was a trusted caregiver, a compassionate advocate for animals, and a gentle presence who brought comfort and reassurance to both you and your beloved pets,\u201d Aadobe Animal Hospital wrote in a Facebook post.<\/a> \u201cHis dedication to veterinary medicine touched countless lives and set a standard of kindness and professionalism for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hussein brought that same combination of technical skill and tenderness to the mobile clinic, where he performed exams, surgeries, and low\u2011cost microchipping using 24PetWatch, PetLink and HomeAgain systems.<\/p>\n

Those who knew him say he rarely rested. His wife, Marwa Mansour, said her husband worked seven days a week, driven not by obligation but pure devotion to the animals who depended on him.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.Ashraf Hussein died while performing surgery on a dog inside a mobile vet clinic.Courtsey of Mahmoud Hussein<\/p>\n

A GoFundMe created by the Voices for the Voiceless community<\/a> described Hussein as a compassionate person.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven in his final moments, he was doing what he had always done \u2014 showing up to serve, putting the needs of others before his own,\u201c the fundraiser said. \u201dHis sudden passing has left an immeasurable void in the hearts of the many families and pet owners who trusted him. The lives he saved, the comfort he gave, and the dignity with which he practiced his work will never be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n

The proceeds raised will go toward covering the doctor\u2019s funeral expenses.<\/p>\n

Mansour echoed that sentiment through tears, saying her husband died doing exactly what he had devoted his life to: caring for an animal in need.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe would get off work and drive all the way down to Queens. It wasn\u2019t about the money,\u201d Mansour said. \u201cHe would literally volunteer on Tuesday and Saturday. That\u2019s when he passed away on Saturday. That\u2019s how much he loved his job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyond the examining room, Hussein was a passionate chess player. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe could beat anybody who knows how to play chess,\u201d she said. \u201cIf he tried to play against one of my cousins, he would win. There was never a game where he lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hussein also loved staying active, often exercising in Staten Island\u2019s parks.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was little, he\u2019d always take me to Clove Lakes Park,\u201d Hussein\u2019s son remembered. \u201cHe also liked to workout and was a New York City marathon runner.\u201d<\/p>\n

To his wife and children, he was an extraordinary person who was gentle and loving.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was an incredible husband and a father. He had the biggest heart, especially for animals,\u201d Mansour said.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.Marwa Mansour and Ashraf Hussein fell in love after bonding over their shared passion for animals.Courtsey of Marwa MansourGone too soon<\/p>\n

Hussein\u2019s life ended unexpectedly when the mobile veterinary clinic became lodged in a snowbank in Flushing, Queens. <\/p>\n

On Feb. 1, around 9:25 a.m., police responded to a 911 call at 157\u201118 65th Avenue in the 107th Precinct, said the NYPD.<\/p>\n

Authorities found Hussein inside the \u201cLow Cost Vet Mobile,\u201d where he was previously performing surgery on a small white dog, officials said. The dog did not survive. <\/p>\n

Inside, officers discovered Hussein and Alexanian unconscious, police said.<\/p>\n

EMS pronounced Hussein dead at the scene. Alexanian was taken to NewYork\u2011Presbyterian Queens Hospital in stable condition.<\/p>\n

Calls for an investigation<\/p>\n

In the aftermath, the family is overwhelmed with grief and searching for answers. Mansour has repeatedly questioned how conditions inside the van led to her husband\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to know: How could this happen?\u201c Mansour questioned. \u201dWho was responsible?”<\/p>\n

\"Dr.Ashraf Hussein died while performing surgery on a dog inside a mobile vet clinic.Courtsey of Mahmoud Hussein<\/p>\n

While the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the official cause of death, police say the investigation remains ongoing.<\/p>\n

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Wednesday morning that no final determination has been made. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe cause and manner of death are pending further study,\u201d a spokesperson for the office said to the Advance\/SILive.com. <\/p>\n

The New York Daily News<\/a> reported that investigators are exploring whether the victims may have become overwhelmed by fumes inside the van after the exhaust pipe became packed with snow, police said.<\/p>\n

Hussein was laid to rest Tuesday at MAS Staten Island located at 180 Burgher Ave. in Dongan Hills. He is survived by his wife Marwa Mansour and children Yousef, Omar and Mahmoud Hussein.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.\u2014 Dr. Ashraf Hussein\u2019s life calling was protecting and helping animals in need. To his family,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":123366,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":{"0":"post-123365","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-staten-island","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-staten-island","12":"tag-staten-island-headlines","13":"tag-staten-island-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123365\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}