Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia

I grew up in rural North Carolina with two dogs and a cattle farm next door. I’ve always loved animals and have wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as I can remember. I learned a lot as a child through bottle-feeding the baby calves next door, herding cattle, and raising rabbits. 

After graduating from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, I worked in many places, from the Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina area to Plano, Texas. Over the years, our family grew by two wonderful daughters. I spent several years in Austin focused on raising them before stepping back into my veterinarian shoes here in the DFW area.  

I’ve always enjoyed preventative medicine and educating pet owners about how to prevent disease, parasites, and behavior problems but when I went back to work, I realized that my patients were, on average, about 12 years old. That’s when I became interested in the importance of preserving their quality of life through dental care, weight control, and environmental modifications. When I heard about hospice care and Lap of Love from the Co-Founder, Dr. Mary Gardner, at a continuing education session, I knew I was meant to do this profound and incredible work. Making the last months more comfortable for my patients and helping their parents prepare for the inevitable farewell became my new focus. As a two-time breast cancer survivor, my outlook on life is drastically different now. I know what it’s like to be ill and preserving the quality of life and dignity of a pet is very important to me. I have always viewed euthanasia as a privilege because I can help our furry children pass with dignity and peace that humans are not always afforded. Being able to get their angel wings in familiar surroundings is a gift I can give them and their human companions. I truly am honored to be there for you and your family.