Peanut Mozzarella is also known as “B.J. Pee Wee, Nutter, Heebee Jeebees.” He passed away in 2001.

There are hundreds of others: Max “Booger-butt,” Boozer, Ottis, Sam the “love bug” and even Johnny Depp.

The beautiful, hand-painted tiles on the wall greet visitors as they step into the office of Dr. Wendy Bernstein, also known as the Critter Doctor. Each one is dedicated to someone’s beloved pet.

The tiles represent donations to the Critter Doctor Trust Fund, set up by Bernstein in 2004 to provide care for ailing pets whose owners can’t afford their care. Once they’re healthy, Bernstein helps find them good homes.

“I will talk to anybody about any pet and find it a good home,” she said. “Most of them find homes with owners who are better able to take care of a pet.”

Bernstein started the trust fund after her patients suggested it. Without funds like this, owners often have to euthanize their pets, she said.

The downside is that owners must sign a waiver releasing custody of their pet. This is hard, but many find it preferable to letting the animal suffer. Bernstein insists this is the only way to ensure the animals will receive the care they need.

“If they’re going to say, ‘I can’t afford the pet’s care,’” she said, “then they can’t afford the pet.”

Lesli Zielke of Kirkland adopted her second dog, John Doe, from Bernstein. When the schnauzer was abandoned, his fur was so long he was unrecognizable. After trimming the fur and giving him some basic care, Bernstein entrusted him with the Zielke family.

“John came up to me with his sorry-looking eyes,” recalled Zielke, who was not looking for a dog at the time. “That was just about it.

“She’s pretty picky about where her dogs go,” she said of Bernstein. “She wants people who will take care of them.”

Zielke and her husband had to move to a larger home to accommodate their two dogs, but she’s never looked back. “We bought a house for him,” she said. “Every day he’s grateful.”

After starting the fund, Bernstein was helped by a generous donation from two of her long-time clients, David and Jennifer Baum. They provided an up-front donation of $2,500 and matched other donations to a total of $5,000. Bernstein’s father also contributed $2,500. This money helped start the fund, Bernstein said, but providing medical care is expensive and she soon needed to find ways to keep the effort going.

“It sounds like a lot,” she said of the donations. “But we’ve had a lot of recipients of care so it goes fast.”

One day while jogging, she was inspired by a wall at Saint Edward Park decorated with kids’ handprints. She decided she would put patients’ paw prints on her clinic’s wall if owners would donate at least $50. Many of the more than 200 tiles adorning her walls are actual paw prints in glaze from her patients. This increased donations, but not enough to keep the fund going.

“It was kind of slow going,” she recalled. “Our wall was only like one-third full after three years.”

Bernstein has sent a sympathy card and a small gift to pet owners when an animal passes away since her clinic opened. Now she includes a note announcing a donation has been made to the Critter Doctor Trust Fund in the pet’s memory. The fund has raised nearly $20,000 in six years, Bernstein said. It has helped treat and find homes for many animals, including cats, dogs, and even several bunnies.

Bernstein has a story for each animal she’s helped. Some are sad, such as Ruby, a cat born with a collapsed chest cavity that required an expensive operation to fix. Some stories are sweet, like two girls she came across while jogging who were selling cookies and lemonade to raise money for their Doberman, Xena, who was suffering from breast cancer. Bernstein used the fund to treat Xena and return her to the girls.

The Critter Doctor Animal Hospital in the Totem Lake neighborhood is a full-service veterinary hospital serving cats, dogs and “pocket pets.” It’s located at 11828 Slater Ave. N.E., Suite 100. To donate to the Critter Doctor Trust Fund, please contact 425-823-6762.

Shane Clyburn is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.