San Diego, CA (special) -- Horses, oxen, dogs, and even a chicken embryo were some of the animals that Israeli veterinarian Yonatan Peres met while visiting San Diego County June 19-21 on behalf of the Hebrew University, where he is director of the teaching hospital of the School of Veterinary Medicine.

As Dr. Peres is the son of former Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Shimon Peres, not all the discussions during the three days were about animals. Politics--both American and Israeli--were another favorite topic.

Dr. Peres was met at the San Luis Rey Equine Clinic in Bonsall by fellow veterinarians Barry Grant, Joe Cannon and Norman Rantanan where he questioned them about their equipment and procedures. He explained that Hebrew University's veterinary hospital in Rishon LeZion is planning to build an intensive care unit for horses, with particular emphasis on delivering post-natal care for foals.

In Del Mar, Peres paid particular attention to the animal exhibits at the Fair, pausing to gently knock an ox on the head, explaining that the contact has a calming effect on the large animal. He also watched young members of the 4-H Club presenting their prized chickens for judging.  In San Diego, veterinarians Bruce Persky, Marla Saltzman and Dean Gahring took him on a tour of the San Carlos Veterinary Hospital, where one dog was being neutered and another was having his teeth cleaned. Later the foursome of veterinarians dined

Dr. Yonatan Peres knocks Del Mar Fair ox

at D.Z.Akin's Restaurant, where Peres also shmoozed in Hebrew with owner Zvika Akins and in English with Debi Akins and patrons Gussie and Mike Zaks of the New Life Club. 

At Congregation Beth Am, Peres was shown a bottle containing a chicken embryo by Rabbi Arthur Zuckerman, who before entering the rabbinate had studied and practiced as a poultry scientist. "Zucky," as the popular rabbi is known, also rolled up his sleeves to show Peres the muscles he still has from his days milking cows on an Israeli kibbutz.

Peres spoke about animals and the Hebrew University program on the "Dr. Dog" show on KFMB Radio, hosted by Dr. Dennis Fetko and his wife, Darlene. The veterinarian traded information on Arab-Israeli cooperative programs with Dr. Bonnie Stewart, head of the San Diego State University Foundation program which brings together Arab and Israeli agricultural experts to work on making the Middle East's deserts more fertile. He also socialized with Dr. I. Gerry Burstain, an Israeli-born chemist who serves as the president of the North County World Affairs Council.   From stop to stop, Peres met a number of pet dogs, including "Scarlet," owned by Dr. Irving and Edith Taylor of Rancho Santa Fe; "Casey," owned by Ruth Kaplan and her daughter Sarah, and "Shayna," owned by my wife, Nancy Harrison, and me. He also met the three cats residing at our home: "Mutzi," "Sasha" and "Tommy."

Rabbi Arthur Zuckerman displays a chicken embryo to veterinarian Yoni Peres

Peres has been a mentor to our daughter, Sandi, ever since she made aliyah to Israel last year. While he was visiting San Diego, Sandi and her fiance, Shahar Masori, looked after his miniature pinscher, "Tempo."

Asked at a gathering sponsored by the American Jewish Committee what his father might do in Ehud Barak's new government, Peres said that titles mean nothing to Shimon Peres, as he has held them all already. But, the son said, his father would like to be actively involved in the peace negotiations still to be completed with the Palestinians, the Syrians and the Lebanese.

Assemblywoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) -- who later in the week formally announced her plans to run for the congressional seat now held by Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-San Diego) -- was among the attendees of the bruncheon which was presided over by AJC president Paul Meyer in the home of Ruth Kaplan. Peres also attended a dinner at the La Jolla home of Mircho Davidov for potential donors to Hebrew University's veterinary program, and later attended a follow up meeting with Dr. Irving and Edith Taylor at their Rancho Santa Fe home.  On other occasions during the visit, Peres shmooozed with San Diego  Community College Board trustee Evonne Schulze, Del Mar Fair Board Members Barry Nussbaum and Paul Ecke, Fair Director Tim Fennell, County Supervisor Bill Horn (a Republican party candidate for U.S.

Peres and "Casey"

Senate), and Democratic party activists Paula Siegel and Lucy Goldman, finding himself equally comfortable with both the Republicans and Democrats.

Horn and Nussbaum-- respectively a conservative Republican and a liberal Democrat--separately told Peres he should tell his father not to give back any more land to the Arabs. This prompted Peres to observe wryly to Scott Nebenzahl, regional director of the American Friends of Hebrew University and his host, "So, this is Netanyahu country?"

Peres' niece, Mika Walden, an actress now working in Los Angeles, drove down to San Diego to meet her uncle, staying in La Mesa at the Comfort Inn operated by Tovik Liberman, whose father Ya'acov Liberman is a columnist for HERITAGE and a former general secretary of Menahem Begin's Herut party.

Although the Liberman and Peres families may have their political differences in Israel, partisanship stopped at the water's edge. Walden paid the "family rate" at the La Mesa motel which also has been hosting an Israeli family whose child has been going through extended eye surgery and recuperation at UCSD's Shiley Eye Clinic.

Before returning home, Peres stopped at the S.C.R.U.B. Factory outlet in Santee where he purchased for doctors and other staff members at his veterinary hospital colorful smocks bearing animal patterns. He said he had seen the store's catalogue at a convention and couldn't resist bringing back to Israel the cheerful attire. Why doctors and veterinarians typically wear drab green gowns and smocks in the operating theatres is a mystery, he said.