An ISU alumnus of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Order of the Knoll member successfully moved his case to the California Superior Court Wednesday following a guilty ruling in administrative court.

In a case that originally could have revoked his veterinary license and the license of his clinic, Robert Rooks, class of 1978, is now fighting in a higher court to rid himself of the probation sentence and fines he was charged with in the administrative court.

“We are doing great. This is going to be fine,” Rooks said. “Step by step, they are going to throw it out.”

The case was originally brought to the attention of the California Veterinary Medical Board following numerous complaints regarding Rooks and his clinic, All-Care Animal Referral Clinic located in Fountain Valley, Calif.

The California Attorney General’s Office received the case from the California Veterinary Medical Board in August 2001 and the 21-day hearing was brought to court early this summer.

Judge Alan S. Meth found Rooks guilty of misrepresenting veterinarians as specialists and internists to clients and of allowing uncertified technicians to induce anesthesia and insert food tubes in animal patients.

Both Rooks and All-Care were sentenced to three years of probation, and Rooks was ordered to pay $83,300 in court costs and was fined $5,000.

Susan Geranen, executive officer of the California Veterinary Medical Board, said she was pleased with the judge’s ruling.

“[This ruling] reflects the board’s mission to protect consumers and their pets,” Geranen said.

Geranen called Rook’s move to the California Superior Court a “wild card” and said the board will see what happens.

The board will submit a petition to the California Superior Court within the next 10 days to argue the rulings should be upheld.

During the hearing, Rooks argued that allowing unregistered assistants to administer anesthesia was not against the California Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, but the unregistered assistants were not inducing anesthesia.

“It comes down to an interpretation,” he said.

Rooks also argued allowing unregistered assistants to induce anesthesia was a common practice in California.

In his judgment statement, Meth wrote, “The fact some veterinarians may call a widespread violation of the law ‘the standard of practice’ cannot and does not constitute a defense to a charge of permitting unregistered assistants to induce anesthesia.”

While Rooks and All-Care continue through the court system, neither is on probation.

Rooks was awarded the Charles E. Bild Practitioner of the Year Award in 1996 by the American Animal Hospital Association.

He was also awarded the ISU Outstanding Young Alumnus Award in 1986, the same year he opened his clinic.

This award is given annually to alumni under the age of 40 who are selected because their “achievement in career, public service and volunteer activities are worthy of recognition and have brought honor to the university,” according to the Alumni Association Web site, www.isualum.org.

Rooks is also a member of the Order of the Knoll, a premier donor recognition society at Iowa State.

All-Care is a 24-hour critical-care facility treats more than 30,000 animals annually.

The hospital is prominent for the technology to perform neurosurgery and neuro-diagnostics, cancer surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy for pets.