Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia

My story begins as many in my field: for as long as I can remember, all I have ever wanted to be was a veterinarian. I was born and raised in rural Northeast Wisconsin, but unlike some raised in the country, I did not grow up with a menagerie of animals. Rather, my family had a black lab named Star, and I was able to persuade my parents into letting me have the occasional hamster (much to my mother’s dismay). Ultimately, it was our dog, and the unbreakable bond and unconditional love that we had, that led me to my very focused career path of veterinary medicine at the ripe age of 5.   

Fast forward 17 years later: I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Biology from Marian University in Fond du Lac, WI in 2003 and was fortunate enough to be accepted into veterinary school at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. After four years of veterinary school (which felt a little like dog years to me) I graduated in 2007 and pursued a career in small animal general practice.

For 13+ years I was honored to help thousands of animals (and their families) throughout all life stages. As with most veterinarians in general practice, I performed a wide array of services including wellness visits and vaccines, surgery and dentistry, and diagnosing illnesses and diseases of all sorts. It was the final end of life visit, however, that has always impacted me the most. Thinking back to my very first pet, Star, the only visit I can seem to remember is when we brought her to our veterinarian to be euthanized. I was 17 years old at the time. I remember we asked the vet to come out to our car since Star was unable to walk anymore, and he did. Although everything went very smoothly, I also remember the experience feeling cold, and it always saddened me that her last moments were in the back of our station wagon (a place she did not enjoy being in the first place). After my own experience so long ago, it has always been important to me to make sure those final moments for a pet and their loving family were as peaceful and dignified as they could be, even in a clinic setting. I have been fortunate since becoming a veterinarian, to be able to help my own pets, as well as those of family and close friends, to pass peacefully in their own home, the place where they had no fear and only felt love. Therefore, when I learned about Lap of Love, I was particularly passionate about the service they provide for so many families. The priceless opportunity of being able to be alongside one’s beloved pet, in the comfort of their own home until the very end. I am honored to be a part of the Lap of Love family now and provide the care that every animal deserves to have at the end of their lives.

When I’m not working, I enjoy camping, hiking and spending time with family. I live north of Milwaukee with my husband, Jeremy, and our cat Izzy.