Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia

I was raised in Phoenix, Arizona with my dogs, cats, guinea pigs, snakes and even a rat here and there. As long as I can remember, I have loved animals and needed them to be a part of my life. Even though Phoenix was a large city, we were very close to the desert environment which meant different types of wildlife animals. Helping wildlife animals in need also became a big part of my childhood and helped drive me toward a career with animals.

However, that career didn’t start in veterinary medicine. I spent a lot of time working with zoo animals and wildlife before deciding that being a veterinarian was my calling. I attended the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in hopes of one day becoming a wildlife veterinarian. However, during my internship working with cats and dogs, I was reminded of how important our household pets can be. Every animal in the world is special, but our pets are a huge part of our FAMILY.

The hardest part starting out in the veterinary profession was the thought of putting an animal to sleep. I quickly learned that this task was not a burden, but a gift. As an emergency veterinarian for many years, I have had the privilege of helping lots of animals and this includes helping end an animal’s suffering in the last moments of their life. The struggle to make the tough decision in the final moments will always be the hardest part of the human animal bond. It is not something that gets easier with time and it is my honor to be able to help families say goodbye when this time comes.