Obituary of Amanda Lumsden

Santa Barbara and the surrounding communities lost a beautiful, kindhearted veterinarian on Feb. 9, 2018. Dr. Amanda, as she was known to many, was a gentle, caring and compassionate person who loved her many furry patients as well as their owners.

Dr. Amanda was an excellent spay/neuter veterinarian and she was always involved in helping to control animal population.

This passion began when she established a cat rescue in college and continued throughout vet school where she was president of The Feline Club, which had a focus on spay/neuter for feral cats.

She was a surgeon for several years at ASAP in Santa Barbara, as well as Mercy Crusade Spay and Neuter Clinic in Oxnard. In addition to her surgical jobs, she established a mobile clinic to care for cats in the comfort of their homes.

Dr. Amanda was an excellent diagnostician. Many patients greatly improved, as well as had longer lives under her care.

She also helped many animals over the Rainbow Bridge by doing in-home euthanasia. She helped ease the pain of the animals, as well as being a comfort to their owners. She always received praise and thanks for her calm demeanor and compassion from the pets’ owners.

Dr. Amanda had recently added another “hat” to her many veterinary talents. She attended the Chi Institute and became certified in acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Many times, she was called to a home for a euthanasia and saw where perhaps acupuncture could be an option. Often, she was able to give the owners more time with their beloved pets.

Dr. Amanda was born on March 12, 1971, in Raleigh, NC, and moved with her family to Texas at the age of four. After graduation from high school in Arlington, TX, she attended the University of Texas Arlington and graduated with a degree with high honors in biology.

She was selected to participate in a graduate program, which was affiliated with UTA, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. She completed her master’s degree in physiology at UBC.

At the encouragement of a friend, Dr. Amanda enrolled in the nursing program at UTA, where she received her BSN and worked in ICU and surgery.

Dr. Amanda’s lifelong passion was animals, particularly cats. When she had the opportunity to attend veterinary school, she was off to the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine for two years before transferring to NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine where she graduated in 2008.

She was honored to be the first student recipient of The White Coat of Excellence Award, which was normally reserved for professors. For her clients, they would not be surprised to know that award was for superior care of the pets, as well as professional, compassionate interactions with the pets’ owners.

Dr. Amanda started her veterinary career in San Antonio, TX, but her heart was in Santa Barbara. Within a year, she relocated to “paradise” as she liked to call Santa Barbara. She settled in quickly and her practice became busy as her clients started referring their friends to an awesome new vet in town.

Manda, as her family and close friends called her, will be missed by so many people including her loving family, friends, clients and colleagues.

She is survived by her parents, Dr. Joe and Judy Lumsden of Arlington, TX; brother and his wife, Joey and Jamie Lumsden of Houston, TX; nieces Presley and Amelia Lumsden; nephew Hunt Lumsden; several aunts and uncles including BJ Stapen of Santa Barbara; and her best friend and veterinary classmate Kelly Ross, DVM, Nashville, TN.

Being an avid supporter of rescued animals, Dr. Amanda left behind her eight rescued cats including two blind kitties and a rescued bunny. Thanks to the kindness of many friends and neighbors, they all have been placed in loving homes. 

Donations in memory of Dr. Amanda may be made to: Mercy Crusade Spay and Neuter Clinic, 2252 Craig Drive, Oxnard, CA 93036, www.dogcatfix.com or Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP) The Lester Fund, 5473 Overpass Road, Santa Barbara, CA  93111 www.asapcats.org.

A celebration of Dr. Amanda’s beautiful and accomplished life will be held 2-5 p.m. Sunday, April 29, at 1735 Overlook Lane. Please contact judylumsden1@gmail.com for any further information.