Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia

I grew up in the Oakland Hills of the San Francisco Bay Area. From an early age, I was enchanted by all animals, whether they were furry, scaly, or feathered. We always had cats, but I was finally allowed to have a pet of my own when I turned 7. I still remember choosing a sleek grey mouse. Squeaky taught me many things, but the most lasting lessons were that the loss of even the tiniest life leaves a huge void and that how you say goodbye matters. Squeaky got a funeral under the apple tree with a hand-made headstone. She may have been gone, but she still felt close. 

I can’t remember a time when I did not think about becoming a veterinarian. My dad says I once cupped my pet hamster in my two little hands and said “I just have to know what’s inside him.” That need to know carried me through my undergraduate years at the University of California, Davis, where I got a job milking dairy goats, volunteered on ranch calls with a country vet, and worked as a veterinary assistant at a busy emergency clinic. I continued working part-time at that hospital through veterinary school, which I also completed at UC Davis. 

After graduation, I worked at a practice with the perfect blend of loyal clients, dedicated staff, and amazing mentors. In my twenty-five years there, I learned a lot about my strengths and weaknesses. I realized that listening is the most important skill a veterinarian can master. 

While I like surgery, medicine, and emergency care, I most enjoy making personal connections and figuring out how to meet each pet’s unique needs. Maintaining optimal quality of life requires creativity, compassion, and cooperation. When the time comes to say goodbye, being able to choose when, where, and how you spend your final moments together makes a heartbreaking moment manageable. I am gratified to be able to help families navigate the choices and challenges of this life stage. 

When I’m not working, you might find me tending my garden, working on my bird photography, walking at the lake, knitting, reading, cooking, or spending time with my family. No matter what I’m doing, my dog Zero (a rescue mix) and my cat Fedora (a stray who chose us) are usually nearby.