Dr. Hal Ott is up for Bay News 9’s 2019 Everyday Hero Viewers’ Choice honoree
By LOIS KINDLE
Anyone who’s lived in South Shore for any amount of time knows Hal Ott – or at least they know his name.
That’s because of his humanitarian efforts on behalf of animals and people, both locally and abroad. And although he doesn’t perform his good works for recognition, most folks would say he definitely deserves it.
Bay News 9 is giving everyone a chance to do so between now and 11:59 p.m. Jan. 19 by voting for him as its 2019 Everyday Hero Viewers’ Choice honoree.
First recognized as one of the station’s weekly honorees last September, Ott is one of four selected out of 52 weekly heroes to compete for the annual distinction.
To help him win, go to https://bit.ly/30iNAIm, view a highlights video about him, scroll down and click on his name to vote.
Dr. Ott, as most people know him, founded Ruskin Animal Hospital in 1971, where he still works part-time. The 76-year-old veterinarian’s life “work” goes well beyond his practice, however.
He was instrumental in the founding of Mary & Martha House, a shelter providing transitional housing and career training women in crisis. He’s traveled to Haiti with a missionary group since 1999 to provide stoves, food and education for more than 1,000 of the country’s poor children and is involved in micro-financing small, rural co-op, sustainable farms.
Ott’s also a longtime financial supporter of Smile Train, a nonprofit organization that provides corrective surgery for children with cleft lips and palates.
Ott became an ambassador member of the Carter Center, which wages peace, fights disease and builds hope across our world, and he also has helped out Southeastern Guide Dogs, Smile Train and the World Resource Center.
In 2003, he founded the Critter Adoption and Rescue Effort no-kill animal shelter, served 10 years as its medical director and six as its board president. He also founded and still maintains the 6-acre Ott’s Off-Leash Dog Sanctuary in Ruskin.
The Palmetto resident currently provides transitional housing for refugees until, as he puts it, [they] “can get a leg up.”
When it comes to helping others, be it man or beast, Ott just keeps going.
“I saw opportunities and needs along the way, and if I could fulfill or fill them, I just did,” he said. “As long as I’m mentally and physically able, I will continue to do so.”